What R.F.K. Jr. Gets Wrong — and Right — About Antidepressants

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., nominated as Secretary of Health and Human Services in 2024, has made public statements questioning the safety profile and prescription practices of antidepressants, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The scientific consensus, based on decades of clinical trials and post-market surveillance, shows that for moderate to severe depression, antidepressants combined with therapy produce measurable symptom reduction in 60–70% of patients, according to meta-analyses published in psychiatric journals. Some of Kennedy's concerns align with documented findings: antidepressants carry FDA black-box warnings for increased suicidal ideation in adolescents and young adults, and withdrawal symptoms occur in 20–78% of long-term users depending on the drug and tapering method. However, major psychiatric organizations including the American Psychiatric Association maintain that the benefits for diagnosed depression generally outweigh risks when prescribed with clinical oversight, though debate continues about optimal dosing, duration of treatment, and prescribing in specific populations.

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