Show Caption
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired leaders of a federal advisory panel responsible for making health recommendations on preventative care to Americans.Letters were sent to at least two head members of U.S. Preventive Services Task Force to notify them of their current appointment ending, effective immediately, an HHS official, who was unauthorized to speak publicly, confirmed to USA TODAY.The USPSTF has a major role in choosing what preventive health services will be covered by insurance plans at no cost to patients under the Affordable Care Act, such as cancer screenings, testing for sexually transmitted infections, mental health screenings and important medications.The firings come nearly a year after USPSTF members were notified by email an in-person meeting scheduled for July 10, 2025, was postponed, someone with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly previously told USA TODAY.The postponed meeting prompted dozens of medical groups to send a letter to leaders of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions urging Congress to preserve task force procedures and duties."It is critical that Congress protects the integrity of the USPSTF from intentional or unintentional political interference," according to the letter, signed by the American Medical Association and American Academy of Pediatrics, among others.While the task force typically meets three times a year, it has not met since March 2025, according to a recent CNN report. HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon told the outlet in an email in March that the task force’s first meeting of the year was postponed and "will be rescheduled in the coming months."Contributing: Adrianna Rodriguez
