The March meeting of the American advisory group responsible for determining cancer screenings and other preventive medical measures that insurers must cover has been postponed, according to a spokesperson for the US Department of Health and Human Services.
The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), consisting of 16 members who usually hold three annual meetings, last met in March 2025. The November 2025 meeting did not occur due to a government shutdown. The upcoming July 2025 meeting was abruptly canceled by the HHS.
The first USPSTF meeting of this year was postponed and will be rescheduled in the coming months, said Andrew Nixon, spokesperson for the HHS, in an email on Tuesday. He did not provide a reason for this new postponement.
There have been concerns since last year that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. may dissolve the group as part of his efforts to reshape American regulation on vaccines, food, and medicine.
Kennedy recently replaced members of various federal committees with individuals who have ties to groups promoting debunked claims linking vaccines to autism and other unfounded allegations.
The USPSTF, established 40 years ago, is responsible for deciding which medical tests and treatments, such as breast cancer screening or HIV prevention medications, should be provided free of charge under most health insurance plans.
Dr. Aaron Carroll, director of AcademyHealth, a research and policy analysis association in the health sector, noted that the USPSTF plays a critical role in keeping Americans healthy by preventing chronic diseases.
The group operates independently with support from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality of the HHS.
The USPSTF has faced criticism from some conservatives who deem it too left-leaning. In early July, a coalition of 104 health organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, urged congressional health committees to protect the group’s integrity.
The USPSTF is required to submit an annual report to Congress to outline future research funding priorities, although last year’s report was not released.
