AMA Urges Health Secretary to Retain Prevention Task Force Members

The leading health lobbying organization in the U.S. is urging Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. not to dissolve the Prevention Task Force. This follows reports suggesting he may remove all current members, mirroring his earlier decision to dismiss the entire Vaccine Advisory Committee.

On Sunday, the American Medical Association (AMA) sent a letter to Kennedy, expressing “deep concern” about these developments regarding the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

According to the AMA, “USPSTF members are chosen through a public nomination process and are nationally recognized experts in primary care, prevention, and evidence-based healthcare. They volunteer to improve the health of Americans and play a crucial role in the Make America Healthy Initiative.”

Last week, Kennedy reportedly aimed to dismiss all 16 members from the task force, referring to them as “waking up,” based on comments from unnamed sources. This came after he dismissed the entire Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in June, replacing them with individuals known for spreading vaccine misinformation.

When approached for a comment, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) stated, “No final decision has been made on how the USPSTF might better support HHS’ mission to make America healthy again.”

Additionally, just last month, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the USPSTF’s authority to make recommendations after the panel faced legal challenges. This issue originated when the USPSTF opted against covering HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, which is recommended.

“Given its crucial role in evaluating the benefits and harms of preventive services like screenings, behavioral counseling, and preventive medications, we recommend retaining USPSTF members and continuing their normal meeting schedule,” the AMA asserted.