Medical Experts React to RFK Jr.'s Antidepressant Drug Remarks

Multiple medical experts have responded to several of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s comments about antidepressants being potentially more addictive than heroin.

The Context

RFK Jr. was confirmed as the Department of Health and Human Services secretary last week, despite multiple concerns raised about his nomination. Most worries have been about RFK Jr.'s position on vaccines. He has clarified that he is not opposed to all vaccines but has been critical of their safety. Now concerns are being expressed about his attitude toward antidepressants.

What Has RFK Jr. Said About Antidepressants?

RFK Jr. has long been outspoken about the medical industry, but the most recent comments in the spotlight include a mandate for his Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission and something he said during his confirmation hearing.

Trump signed an executive order to establish the MAHA Commission, headed by RFK Jr, on February 13. One of the many things the Commission was tasked with was to "assess the prevalence of and threat posed by the prescription of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), antipsychotics (and) mood stabilizers."

During RFK Jr.'s confirmation hearing, he suggested that antidepressants could be more addictive than heroin.

"I know people, including members of my family, who've had a much worse time getting off of SSRIs than they have getting off of heroin," he said.

How Have Medical Experts Reacted To RFK Jr.?

Professor Keith Humphreys, who is an expert in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University, told NPR: "Antidepressants and heroin are in different universes when it comes to addiction risk. In my 35 years In the addiction field, I've met only two or three people who thought they were addicted to antidepressants versus thousands who were addicted to heroin and other opioids."

Colin Davidson, a professor of neuropharmacology at the University of Central Lancashire wrote for The Conversation: "RFK Jr. has made several debatable statements related to health, including, for example, on vaccinations. On this occasion, though, concerning antidepressants, there is considerable evidence that coming off of SSRIs can be very difficult. But, for most people, it is unlikely that it would be as difficult as coming off heroin."

The International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) issued a call for "continued access to SSRIs" the day after Trump's MAHA executive order was signed. It said: "The IOCDF acknowledges the significance of the recent Presidential Executive Order, Establishing the President's Make America Healthy Again Commission, particularly in its focus on addressing the growing mental health and chronic disease challenges in the United States. That said, we are deeply concerned some of these directives could create significant barriers to effective treatment for those suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and related conditions."

Newsweek has contacted the U.S. Health Department, via email, for a response to these comments. It has also contacted the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the Association of Child Psychotherapists and the American Academy of Family Physicians for comment.

Why Is RFK Jr. Worried About Antidepressants?

In the U.S, antidepressants are among the most prescribed medicines, the majority prescribed by primary care doctors, not mental health experts, according to the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine.

Around 13.2 percent of U.S. adults were using antidepressants between 2017 and 2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. This number is believed to have increased since, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are multiple risks associated with antidepressants, with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) previously issuing a "black box" warning for SSRIs, warning that they could "increase the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality) in children and adolescents with MDD and other psychiatric disorders."

While the medical community acknowledges there are risks associated with antidepressants, the FDA has approved various medications for cases where the benefits are believed to outweigh the risks.