Earlier this month, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended against the routine use of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test for most men. A couple of years ago, the same federal agency concluded that routine mammography for most women in their 40s and 50s was counterproductive.

Both declarations incited passionate arguments on both sides of the issues.

So who are these fearless people whose job is to articulate health protocols with the potential to roil the waters of any medical specialty?

As readers will see from the list at the end of this piece, the members are distinguished doctors and other caregivers from around the country. Nary a faceless bureaucrat among them, contrary to what you hear from critics on the right.