2013 Appointment of New USPSTF Members

February 21, 2013 – On February 21, 2013, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) announced the addition of three experts in prevention and primary care to serve as members of the panel. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality appointed the following members to join the Task Force: Francisco A.R. García, M.D., M.P.H.; William R. Phillips, M.D., M.P.H.; and Michael P. Pignone, M.D., M.P.H.

New members are appointed to replace members who have completed their terms. This year's appointees replace the following outgoing Task Force members: Joy Melnikow, M.D., M.P.H.; Carolina Reyes, M.D., M.P.H.; and Timothy J. Wilt, M.D., M.P.H. The USPSTF congratulates and thanks these outgoing members for their years of service and positive contributions to the Task Force's mission.

The new Task Force members bring a range of expertise in prevention and evidence-based medicine that will help the Task Force continue its mission of improving clinical preventive care for all Americans. Dr. Phillips' work in family medicine includes extensive experience teaching medical students and residents, as well as a proven ability to communicate complex issues in plain language. Dr. Pignone, an internist, has a wealth of expertise in systematic evidence reviews and analytical decisionmaking, the basis of the Task Force's work. Dr. García's background in obstetrics and gynecology has included work to improve women's health and prevent health disparities, helping him bridge the divides between the academic study of health, public health efforts, and community-based medicine.

All three new Task Force members have prior experience developing national health care guidelines and continue to serve as active clinicians who provide primary care services in their communities. Full professional biographies are available on the Task Force Web site at /uspstf/about-uspstf/current-members.

The Task Force is an independent, volunteer panel of national experts in prevention and evidence-based medicine that works to improve the health of all Americans by making evidence-based recommendations about clinical preventive services, such as screenings, counseling services, and preventive medicines. More information on the Task Force is available at www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org.