Dr. Albert Siu, a New York geriatrician and internist, has been appointed chair of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
Siu, 60, formerly a vice chair, replaces Dr. Michael LeFevre as leader of the task force, an independent volunteer panel of experts in prevention and evidence-based medicine. He was appointed by Dr. Richard Kronick, director of HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Siu is chair and professor of the department of geriatrics and palliative medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Health System, and director of the Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center at the James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center in the Bronx. He has also served as deputy commissioner of the New York State Department of Health.
In addition to serving as vice chair for the past four years, Siu served as a task force member from June 2001 until December 2006.
LeFevre first joined the USPSTF as a member in January 2005, later serving as vice chair and most recently as chair. Like LeFevre, Siu will serve a one-year term. Dr. David Grossman will return to the task force as vice chair to fill the vacancy left by Siu.
