HHS Secretary Kennedy Appoints Eight New Members to U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Amidst Controversy
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced the appointment of eight new members to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). This move follows a period of significant turnover and controversy for the task force, including the dismissal of two vice chairs and the expiration of five other members' terms earlier in 2026, with no immediate replacements. The previous chair, Michael Silverstein, also departed independently. Seth Corey, M.D., a pediatric hematologist-oncologist, has been named the new chair. The new appointees include a mix of specialists, which has drawn concern from organizations like the American Medical Association and AcademyHealth, as the task force has historically been composed primarily of primary care-focused professionals. Secretary Kennedy emphasized that prevention is a powerful tool against chronic disease and that the task force's recommendations must be grounded in rigorous, objective science.
