RFK Jr. launches plan to address ‘overuse’ of psychiatric medications
HHS Secretary RFK Jr. detailed a plan to curb psychiatric drug overuse, focusing on education and deprescribing, as concerns over side effects persist and 11% of U.S. adults had an SSRI prescription in 2024.
- HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced new initiatives on Monday to curb the overprescription of psychiatric medications, aiming to address what he termed the nation's "mental health crisis."
- Kennedy's "Make America Healthy Again" movement has long targeted antidepressants, alleging without evidence that SSRIs are linked to violence and that withdrawal is more difficult than from heroin.
- Psychiatric nurse practitioner Sean Leonard and American Psychiatric Association president Dr. Theresa Miskimen Rivera dispute Kennedy's claims, noting that antidepressants remain essential for many patients.
- HHS will launch training for providers at more than 1,400 community health centers this summer, alongside billing guidance for "deprescribing" to help patients transition off psychotropic drugs.
- While improved clinical training is welcomed, critics warn that framing mental health solely as "overmedicalization" risks ignoring persistent workforce shortages and limited access to care.
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RFK Jr.'s New Push To Reduce Psychiatric Med Use Raises Concerns
SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty ImagesHealth and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced a new HHS initiative intended to “curb psychiatric overprescribing” by promoting “appropriate prescribing” and encouraging doctors to wean their patients off of meds when possible. Kennedy alluded to his intentions to reduce the number of Americans taking psychiatric medications early in his tenure as HHS secretary, but this initiative marks his fir…
RFK Jr. says SSRI withdrawal worse than heroin, rolls out 'deprescribing' initiative during emotional summit
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a sweeping new initiative Monday to reduce the overprescription of antidepressant selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and other psychotropic medications, especially for children.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Wants To Take 'Clear And Decisive Action' On Psychiatric Drugs Amid 'Deprescribing'
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday rolled out a federal push aimed at reducing the use of certain psychiatric drugs, framing the move as part of a broader effort to address what he described as overprescribing in the U.S. mental health system. Kennedy Pushes For Deprescribing Speaking at a mental health summit hosted by the Make America Healthy Again Institute, Kennedy said the initiative would promote "deprescr…
RFK Jr. Unveils Bold Plan To Combat Overprescription Of Psychiatric Medications
On Monday, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launched a significant new federal initiative aiming to tackle the growing problem of overprescription of psychiatric medications. Revealed during a summit at the Make America Healthy Again Institute, Kennedy emphasized the need for a more cautious and transparent approach to mental health treatment. “Today, we take clear and decisive action to confront our nation’s mental heal…
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