RFK Jr. Plans Ouster of All Cancer Screening Task Force Members

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to remove all 16 members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an expert panel that recommends which cancer screenings and preventive services insurance plans must cover. Kennedy views the current panel as too 'woke' due to their inclusion of diversity and social context issues in their recommendations, sparking significant backlash from public health experts and lawmakers such as Senator Patty Murray. Critics warn that replacing the experts with unqualified individuals could make preventive healthcare more expensive and less accessible, potentially leading to untreated conditions and higher cancer rates among the public. The task force has long been responsible for evaluating scientific evidence to determine effective preventive interventions, playing a crucial role in public health since the Affordable Care Act empowered it in 2010. Kennedy's move has been condemned on social media as an attack on science and public health, with experts emphasizing the importance of the panel's work in maintaining access to essential screenings and preventive care. The Health and Human Services Department has not yet responded to requests for comment on the decision.