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US Health Secretary Kennedy fires heads of key preventive health panel

By Thomson Reuters May 20, 2026 | 11:53 AM

NEW YORK, May 20 (Reuters) – US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ​earlier this month fired ‌the chair and vice chair of 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 after Kennedy canceled ⁠its regularly scheduled ⁠meetings. New members ​have not been named to ​replace the five volunteers whose ‌terms expired in December.

Panel chair Dr. John Wong, professor of medicine at ⁠Tufts University School of Medicine, and vice chair Dr. Esa Davis, ⁠professor ‌at the University ⁠of Maryland School of ​Medicine, ‌were removed from ​the panel ⁠earlier this month, according to correspondence seen by Reuters.

(Reporting by Deena Beasley; editing by Caroline Humer and ​Franklin Paul)