U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveils plan to reduce SSRI antidepressant dependence

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a sweeping initiative aimed at curbing the widespread use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants such as Zoloft, Prozac, Lexapro and Paxil. The plan targets the roughly 16.6% of American adults—about one in six—currently taking these drugs.

Key components include a Dear Colleague Letter urging physicians to obtain informed consent, regularly review risks, and prioritize non‑pharmaceutical treatments like psychotherapy, nutrition, exercise and family support. Federal agencies will introduce new clinician training, reimbursement mechanisms for time spent assisting patients in tapering, and a technical expert panel to develop deprescribing guidelines. SAMHDA will release training modules this summer.

Kennedy emphasized that the goal is not to ban psychiatric medication but to stop treating SSRIs as the default option, stating, “We will no longer treat them as the default, we will treat them as one option, to be used when appropriate, with full transparency and a clear path off when they are no longer needed.”

Public opinion is mixed: a 2025 survey found 48% of adults oppose federal restrictions on antidepressant prescribing, while only 16.4% support them. An FDA panel is reviewing whether to add black‑box warnings for SSRI use during pregnancy. The American Psychiatric Association expressed both concerns about overprescribing and willingness to engage in guideline development.