RFK Jr. Fires Leaders of Preventive Services Task Force

Last week, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. quietly removed two top leaders of a federal advisory panel that shapes preventive care recommendations for Americans. Panel chair John Wong, MD, and vice chair Esa Davis, MD, MPH, were notified by letter on May 11 that their appointments were ending effective immediately.

According to a letter shared with CNN, the leaders were removed “to avoid uncertainty that could jeopardize the validity of future Task Force actions.”

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is made up of experts in disease prevention and evidence-based medicine who issue recommendations that determine which preventive services insurers must cover at no cost under the Affordable Care Act. These services include mammograms, colonoscopies, STI testing, and mental health screenings. Although the task force typically meets three times a year, it hasn’t convened since March 2025, and half of its 16 seats remain unfilled. 

These terminations come as the administration seeks new members for the task force, a process typically involving the chair and vice chair. Their removal is raising concerns among public health experts about potential political interference as Kennedy continues to expand influence over HHS advisory panels made up of independent medical experts.

Last year, the appointment process for task force members was challenged in the U.S. Supreme Court case Kennedy v. Braidwood Management, Inc. The Court ultimately ruled that the structure was constitutional, determining that USPSTF members are “inferior officers” who may be legally appointed by the HHS Secretary without Senate confirmation.

Any disruptions to USPSTF operations may eventually affect the timing and development of preventive screening recommendations, influencing clinical practice and insurance coverage requirements.

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