As reports surface about possible changes to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), the Colorectal Cancer Alliance and over 20 healthcare partners are urging Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to safeguard the agency’s core role. They warn that weakening USPSTF authority could jeopardize life-saving, no-cost screenings—particularly for colorectal cancer, which remains the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S.
The Alliance’s Screen Smart initiative emphasizes data-driven policies and practical tools to boost access and adherence. They argue that the USPSTF’s evidence-based, population-level assessments must remain distinct from the FDA’s focus on test safety and efficacy. The Task Force’s 2021 decision to lower the screening age from 50 to 45 is credited with preventing tens of thousands of deaths—a precedent advocates hope won’t be undone.
With bipartisan momentum around the “Make America Healthy Again” goal, the Alliance is hopeful—but watching closely.