# HHS Task Force Appointees Receive Ethics Waivers

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appointed eight individuals to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, and four reportedly received conflict-of-interest waivers allowing them to retain stock holdings in companies whose interests may be affected by the task force’s work. The reports raise federal ethics and governance concerns, but identify no contract, solicitation, or direct procurement action. A commenter stated that waivers may permit participation in matters of general applicability while restrictions remain on specific-party matters affecting a covered financial interest; that explanation is attributed to the commenter.

- For procurement professionals, this is a governance and public-trust issue rather than a current contracting opportunity. The signals do not identify procurement decisions or contractor impacts.
- The reported distinction between generally applicable policy matters and specific-party matters may be relevant when assessing ethics controls around federal decision-making; the comment should not be treated as an authoritative agency determination.
- The signals provide no procurement contact, solicitation, contract value, or deadline for industry to act on.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Healthcare
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** November 05, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)

### Key Quotes
> Even with a waiver they are still prohibited from participating in particular matters that affect their financial interests. Particular matters = those that involve specific parties. The waiver allows them to participate in particular matters of generally applicability (a class of entities).
> — Community commenter

### Sources
- [Half of the eight individuals HHS Secretary Kennedy appointed to the US Preventive Services Task Force received conflict-of-interest waivers, allowing them to keep stocks in companies they own, including those whose decisions they may impact](https://www.reddit.com/r/fednews/comments/1xoxkn7/half_of_the_eight_individuals_hhs_secretary) - reddit-fednews