Meeting Delays for U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The United States Preventive Services Task Force experienced significant delays under the leadership of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Since March 2025, this crucial public health panel has not convened in person. This disruption marks the fourth instance under the current administration where planned meetings were halted.

The panel is responsible for evaluating scientific evidence related to tests and treatments to prevent various health conditions including cancer, diabetes, and H.I.V. Recommendations provided by the panel influence medical practices and affect insurance coverage for millions of U.S. citizens. However, its functionality has been severely obstructed under Kennedy’s tenure, limiting the panel’s ability to issue new guidance.

An email sent last week informed those associated with the panel about the postponement of the meeting slated for this month. Confirmation came on Monday from Emily Hilliard, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services. She explained the meeting delay until late August was due to an overwhelming number of nominations for task force membership, necessitating additional time for selection and onboarding of new participants.

In June 2025, the Supreme Court allowed Kennedy the authority to unilaterally remove task force members and override its decisions. He canceled meetings in July, November, and March and has not appointed new members following the expiration of several existing members’ terms. Additionally, the two chairs of the panel were dismissed in May.

The Federal Register issued a notice in April, soliciting nominations for vacancies, setting a deadline of May 23. Nomination documents, intended for public inspection at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, remained inaccessible to a reporter from The New York Times who visited on June 15. Officials cited redaction requirements yet have not disclosed a timeline for when the documents will be available.

Maggie Astor reports on women’s health and health impacts of governmental policies for The Times.