Protect Preventive Care: Stop RFK Jr. from Dismissing Primary Care Panel
Protect Preventive Care: Stop RFK Jr. from Dismissing Primary Care Panel
The Issue
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has been a trusted source of evidence-based health recommendations for over 40 years. Now, this independent panel of experts—responsible for the screenings and guidelines that help doctors prevent cancer, heart disease, depression, and more—faces a devastating threat.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is reportedly planning to fire all 16 members of the USPSTF. This follows his earlier purge of the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee, where he replaced scientists with political allies lacking expertise. The American Medical Association and more than 100 top medical groups are sounding the alarm, warning that this move could destroy the integrity of America’s preventive care system.
If the USPSTF is dismantled or politically stacked, Americans could lose access to reliable, science-backed care. Preventive services like mammograms, colonoscopies, depression screenings, and HIV prevention could be compromised—especially since under the Affordable Care Act, insurance coverage is tied to the Task Force’s recommendations.
Doctors rely on these guidelines daily. They are created through a transparent, bipartisan process, with members chosen for their expertise and freedom from conflicts of interest. Disbanding this panel not only injects politics into medicine but leaves clinicians uncertain about what guidance to follow. Patients will pay the price.
RFK Jr.’s justification? According to reports, he believes the panel is too “woke.” But health screenings aren't political—they're lifesaving. Undermining a group simply because it includes appointees from a previous administration is reckless and dangerous.
We call on Secretary Kennedy to immediately halt any plan to fire or replace the current members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Congress must also act to safeguard the Task Force’s independence and ensure that its mission—to improve the health of all Americans—is protected from political interference.
We must not allow ideology to override science, or headlines to endanger health. Tell RFK Jr. and Congress: Protect the USPSTF. Protect our care.
Photo: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
552
The Issue
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has been a trusted source of evidence-based health recommendations for over 40 years. Now, this independent panel of experts—responsible for the screenings and guidelines that help doctors prevent cancer, heart disease, depression, and more—faces a devastating threat.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is reportedly planning to fire all 16 members of the USPSTF. This follows his earlier purge of the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee, where he replaced scientists with political allies lacking expertise. The American Medical Association and more than 100 top medical groups are sounding the alarm, warning that this move could destroy the integrity of America’s preventive care system.
If the USPSTF is dismantled or politically stacked, Americans could lose access to reliable, science-backed care. Preventive services like mammograms, colonoscopies, depression screenings, and HIV prevention could be compromised—especially since under the Affordable Care Act, insurance coverage is tied to the Task Force’s recommendations.
Doctors rely on these guidelines daily. They are created through a transparent, bipartisan process, with members chosen for their expertise and freedom from conflicts of interest. Disbanding this panel not only injects politics into medicine but leaves clinicians uncertain about what guidance to follow. Patients will pay the price.
RFK Jr.’s justification? According to reports, he believes the panel is too “woke.” But health screenings aren't political—they're lifesaving. Undermining a group simply because it includes appointees from a previous administration is reckless and dangerous.
We call on Secretary Kennedy to immediately halt any plan to fire or replace the current members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Congress must also act to safeguard the Task Force’s independence and ensure that its mission—to improve the health of all Americans—is protected from political interference.
We must not allow ideology to override science, or headlines to endanger health. Tell RFK Jr. and Congress: Protect the USPSTF. Protect our care.
Photo: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
552
The Decision Makers
Supporter Voices
Petition created on July 28, 2025