HHS officials recently discussed whether to ban selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), among the most popular antidepressant medications prescribed, amid a push to reduce the use of the drugs.
The development, which was broken by Reuters, comes after HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the Mental Health and Overmedicalization Summit, sponsored by the MAHA Institute, on May 4 said that psychiatric medications should no longer be considered the default in treatment. He added, however, "If you are taking psychiatric medication, we are not telling you to stop."
Most SSRIs are available as generics. Common brand names are Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro, and Paxil. A 2026 study found that 16.6% of Americans take an antidepressant.
A May 4 HHS news release stated that the department is launching a "MAHA Action Plan to Curb Psychiatric Overprescribing."
"Today, we take clear and decisive action to confront our nation’s mental health crisis by addressing the overuse of psychiatric medications—especially among children," RFK Jr. said. "We will support patient autonomy, require informed consent and shared decision-making, and shift the standard of care toward prevention, transparency, and a more holistic approach to mental health."
HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon told Reuters that the department "has not had any discussions about banning SSRIs, and any claims suggesting otherwise are false."
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