Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is reportedly considering removing all 16 members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a group that influences which preventive services like cancer screenings and HIV prevention drugs are covered at no cost under the Affordable Care Act.
“No final decision has been made on how the USPSTF can better support HHS’ mandate to Make America Healthy Again,” said HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon in a statement Friday.
Earlier this month, Kennedy raised eyebrows when he abruptly canceled a task force meeting on heart disease prevention without explanation. The Wall Street Journal first reported the potential overhaul.
The task force has faced criticism from conservative groups for recommendations such as its “A” grade for PrEP, an HIV prevention pill. That decision led to a legal challenge that went to the Supreme Court, which upheld the ACA requirement for free preventive services.
In June, Kennedy replaced all 17 members of another advisory group on vaccines, appointing several well-known vaccine critics. It’s unclear which services or recommendations Kennedy aims to target next.
