April 28 (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, overseen by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., on Tuesday asked for nominations to the influential task force that decides which preventive medical care is provided at no cost to patients.
The Preventive Services Task Force, which typically has 16 members, last met over a year ago. Three successive planned meetings were canceled and new members have not been named to replace the five volunteers whose terms expired in December.
“That task force has been lackadaisical. It’s not been doing its job,” Kennedy told a House committee earlier this month.
A division of HHS on Tuesday said it is seeking clinicians and researchers to be nominated to the task force “including but not limited to” specialties such as cardiology, oncology, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, family medicine and health economics. Nominations are due by May 23.
Medical experts say Kennedy’s sidelining of the panel has delayed updates to screening guidelines for cancer, heart disease and other conditions.
(Reporting By Deena Beasley and Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Neil Fullick)
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