U.S. Health Secretary Removes Leaders of Preventive Services Task Force

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has dismissed the two top leaders of the influential U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a panel whose recommendations determine which preventive medical services must be fully covered by private health insurance plans. Dr. John Wong of Tufts Medical Center and Dr. Esa Davis of the University of Maryland School of Medicine were removed from their positions as chair and vice chair, respectively, according to termination letters dated May 11.

In the letters, Kennedy stated the action followed a review of current appointments to "ensure clarity, continuity, and confidence" in the department's supervisory role and to "protect the integrity of the Task Force's work." He wrote that the dismissals were "administrative in nature" and unrelated to the physicians' performance or service. The letters invited Wong and Davis to reapply for membership on the volunteer panel, with an application deadline of May 23.

The task force, established in 1984, is an independent panel of national experts that evaluates scientific evidence and issues recommendations on over 90 preventive health topics, including screenings for cancer, heart...