Trump Administration Dismisses Leaders of Health Group

The Trump administration has dismissed the two leaders of a key health group responsible for determining free preventive care services. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. notified the two chairs of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force of their immediate termination effective May 11, ending their multiyear tenures early.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had already largely sidelined the task force. Public meetings scheduled over the past year were indefinitely postponed, leaving updates on topics such as cervical cancer screenings unresolved.

Established in the 1980s, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force consists of experts who review evidence on various preventive measures, including depression screenings and the use of statins for heart attack prevention. The task force assigns letter grades to guidelines, indicating the strength of the evidence. Under the Affordable Care Act, most insurance plans must cover preventive services rated “A” or “B” at no cost to patients.

In his letters to Drs. John Wong and Esa Davis, Kennedy praised their leadership and contributions but did not clarify why they were removed. He encouraged them to reapply and stated he was reviewing appointments to ensure clarity and confidence in HHS oversight.

The New York Times first reported the letters. An HHS spokesman did not comment on the reason for the dismissals. Kennedy had told lawmakers he intended to reform the task force, describing it as “lackadaisical,” with plans to meet more often and improve transparency.

The task force conducts public meetings, allows public comments on draft guidelines, and shares the scientific evidence supporting them before finalization. Some health advocates expressed concern that Kennedy might replace the expert panel with political appointees, as was done with another advisory committee focused on vaccines.

Over the past year, the task force could not release its final cervical cancer screening guidelines or update recommendations on maternal depression. Former chairman Dr. Michael Silverstein highlighted this as unprecedented governmental interference in scientific processes.

The task force typically has staggered terms, allowing health secretaries to appoint new members without significant disruption, noted Aaron Carroll from the nonpartisan health policy group AcademyHealth.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department, which receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, solely produced this content.