{"id":69536,"date":"2026-05-20T13:23:36","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T17:23:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/health-secretary-kennedy-removes-leaders-of-preventive-care-task-force\/"},"modified":"2026-05-20T13:23:36","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T17:23:36","slug":"health-secretary-kennedy-removes-leaders-of-preventive-care-task-force","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/health-secretary-kennedy-removes-leaders-of-preventive-care-task-force\/","title":{"rendered":"Health Secretary Kennedy Removes Leaders of Preventive Care Task Force"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n

US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. removed the top leadership of a significant medical panel that determines which preventive healthcare services must be offered to patients without charge, according to documents obtained by Reuters.<\/p>

The dismissals affected the chair and vice chair of the Preventive Services Task Force, which occurred earlier this month. Dr. John Wong, a medicine professor at Tufts University School of Medicine who served as chair, and Dr. Esa Davis, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine who was vice chair, were both terminated from their positions.<\/p>

The influential panel, which normally operates with 16 members, has not convened for more than a year following Kennedy’s decision to suspend its routine meetings. Additionally, five volunteer members whose terms concluded in December have not been replaced with new appointments.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed the chair and vice chair of an important medical panel that determines which preventive health services are covered at no cost to patients. The task force hasn’t convened in over a year after Kennedy halted its regular meetings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":69535,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[837],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-69536","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1779297815879.jpg?fit=450%2C300&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pbtNqq-i5y","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":69698,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/health-secretary-kennedy-removes-two-leaders-from-preventive-care-guidelines-panel\/","url_meta":{"origin":69536,"position":0},"title":"Health Secretary Kennedy Removes Two Leaders from Preventive Care Guidelines Panel","author":"Admin","date":"May 20, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has dismissed the two chairpersons of an important federal panel that decides which preventive health services insurance companies must cover for free. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force creates guidelines for services like mammograms and colonoscopies that affect millions of Americans.","rel":"","context":"In "Health"","block_context":{"text":"Health","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1779317487139.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1779317487139.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1779317487139.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1779317487139.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":46217,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/health-secretarys-decision-stalls-cancer-screening-updates-nationwide\/","url_meta":{"origin":69536,"position":1},"title":"Health Secretary’s Decision Stalls Cancer Screening Updates Nationwide","author":"Admin","date":"April 2, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s decision to sideline a key federal advisory panel is causing significant delays in updating cancer and heart disease screening guidelines. The 16-member U.S. Preventive Services Task Force hasn't convened in over a year, leaving important healthcare recommendations in limbo.","rel":"","context":"In "Health"","block_context":{"text":"Health","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/news-1775127041619.jpg?fit=450%2C300&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":31513,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/federal-health-panel-cancels-third-straight-meeting-amid-uncertainty\/","url_meta":{"origin":69536,"position":2},"title":"Federal Health Panel Cancels Third Straight Meeting Amid Uncertainty","author":"Admin","date":"March 4, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A key federal advisory group that decides which preventive health services insurance must cover has postponed its March meeting, marking the third consecutive cancellation. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force hasn't convened since March 2025, raising concerns about the future of the 40-year-old panel under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Health"","block_context":{"text":"Health","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/news-1772618755596.jpg?fit=450%2C308&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":58937,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/health-department-calls-for-new-members-to-fill-vacant-prevention-panel\/","url_meta":{"origin":69536,"position":3},"title":"Health Department Calls for New Members to Fill Vacant Prevention Panel","author":"Admin","date":"April 28, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The Department of Health and Human Services is seeking nominations for a key medical panel that determines which preventive health services are covered at no cost. 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