RFK Jr urges Alzheimer’s screening but blunts key panel that could drive research

Experts say evidence for cognitive screening desired by health secretary not great' as taskforce idle since last year

The US health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, has called for better Alzheimer's screening - but a critical federal panel that might have helped researchers find practical ways to do that has been prevented from meeting for more than a year.

The panel, formally called the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), had planned to issue a recommendation on screening for cognitive decline this year, alongside 13 other topics as varied as autism screening and food allergy prevention.