Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pledged to curb psychiatric drug use, prompting a coalition of leading psychiatrists to publish the first formal deprescribing recommendations in JAMA Network Open and the British Journal of Psychiatry. The 45‑member panel, organized by the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology, warns that clinicians often keep patients on ineffective meds without regular review.

Data from the CDC show that 16.6 percent of U.S. adults—about one in six—are currently on an SSRI, a figure that has risen steadily since Prozac’s debut in 1988. Patient‑led support groups have grown louder, lobbying for black‑box warnings on withdrawal risks and accusing the industry of neglecting discontinuation studies. The new guidance seeks to give prescribers a structured “off‑ramp,” emphasizing supervised tapering and regular assessment of therapeutic benefit.

Authors stress that deprescribing is not a blanket recommendation; some disorders, especially severe bipolar illness, may require lifelong treatment. Nonetheless, they call for a parsimonious approach, urging doctors to eliminate unnecessary polypharmacy and to document clear endpoints for therapy. The initiative positions the psychiatric establishment as a proactive voice in the regulatory debate, aiming to shape policy before stricter rules emerge.