Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announces a new federal initiative aimed at reducing the use of antidepressants, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). According to multiple outlets, the effort promotes “deprescribing,” meaning clinicians and patients should consider stepping down or tapering medications rather than continuing them indefinitely. The initiative is presented as part of a broader mental health strategy discussed at events connected to the Make America Healthy Again Institute.
Several reports say Kennedy frames the initiative as a response to “overuse” and “overmedicalization” of psychiatric medications, including among children. The Guardian adds that psychiatrists warn the underlying problem for many patients is not simply medication overuse but limited access to care, and they caution against efforts that do not address treatment availability.
Other commentary notes that deprescribing typically requires careful, supervised tapering and adequate psychological support. Critics argue the initiative does not clearly provide the scale or safeguards needed for patients transitioning off antidepressants, while supporters describe it as attention to long-running concerns about widespread SSRI prescribing.
