Expert Panel on Preventive Care to Be Dismissed by Kennedy, According to WSJ

Expert Panel on Preventive Care to Be Dismissed by Kennedy, According to WSJ

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), a federal panel that provides recommendations on preventive health care services, is facing a potential major change. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is reportedly planning to dismiss all current members of the Task Force [1][2][3].

Although HHS has officially stated that no final decision has yet been made about the Task Force's future or its membership [1], the American Medical Association (AMA) has strongly urged Kennedy to retain the current members. The AMA emphasises the panel's critical, nonpartisan role in guiding preventive care policies and ensuring patient access to important screenings and preventive services without additional costs [1][2][3].

The AMA also points to Kennedy's similar prior attempts to remove members from another advisory body, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, underscoring concerns about potential disruptions to established evidence-based preventive health frameworks under Kennedy's leadership [2].

If Kennedy does proceed with these changes, there is no definitive information about concrete alternate plans he may have for the Task Force. The report of this plan was published by the Wall Street Journal on Friday [1]. Two of the new members Kennedy has named to replace the dismissed committee have testified in court against vaccine manufacturers [1].

The USPSTF was established in 1984 and has been under the consideration of the US Health and Human Services due to actions taken by Kennedy. The Task Force's recommendations about preventive health care services must be followed by insurers and provided without charge to patients due to the Affordable Care Act [1]. The US Supreme Court recently upheld the constitutionality of the Task Force, confirming Kennedy's control over its members [1].

The USPSTF is a nonpolitical advisory group that issues evidence-based recommendations on clinical preventive services such as cancer screenings, which insurers are legally required to cover without cost-sharing [1][2][3]. The Task Force's mandate is to support HHS in making America healthy [1].

Kennedy aims to reshape health agencies and expunge them of what he perceives as longtime health-care industry influence on policies [1]. Since taking over at HHS, Kennedy has appointed new members to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to replace those dismissed last month [1].

The future of the USPSTF is uncertain, but its role in guiding preventive care policies and ensuring patient access to essential screenings and services is undeniable. The situation is evolving, with significant implications for preventive health services coverage nationwide [1][2][3].

1. The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is a federal panel that provides recommendations on preventive health care services.
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