US Task Force Leads the way on Prevention Recommendations

by Kim Krisberg

For more than 25 years, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has been a pioneer in the fields of prevention and primary care, examining the evidence and using strict criteria to make recommendations that are often the gold standard for clinical preventive services.

First convened in 1984 by the U.S. Public Health Service and now sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the task force has a reputation for being fiercely diligent about sticking to the evidence — a characteristic that has garnered acclaim, respect and, most recently, national controversy. Most people outside of health, medical and policy circles probably knew little, if anything, about the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force until November, when the group released recommendations against routine mammography for women ages 40 to 49, recommending that such screening begin at age 50.
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