Senate confirms RFK Jr. as health and welfare secretary
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was voted by GOP Senator Mitch McConnell and confirmed as HHS secretary for the 52-48 Senate vote.
- The committee, chaired by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., examines potential overdose in children with antidepressants.
- Although some antidepressants are approved for children, they are more commonly prescribed to adults, and the committee’s findings may affect future prescribing practices.
Is the following antidepressants following Trump’s chopping block?
President Donald Trump Last week, I issued an executive order to establish “.Make America healthy again“Targets particularly chronic diseases Mental illness.
Health and Welfare Services Chief Robert F. Kennedy Jr. He will chair the committee. This order outlines how to plan to combat chronic illnesses, including the effects of healthy lifestyle education and the effects of new technical habits.
This order also highlights statistics on the percentage of chronic diseases and lower life expectancy in the United States compared to other countries.
“To fully address the growing health crisis in America, we understand and dramatically reduce chronic disease rates in the public and private sectors, and dramatically reduce chronic diseases in childhood. “The national focus must be re-supervised,” the order states. “…We need to restore the integrity of the scientific process by protecting expert recommendations from inappropriate impacts and increasing transparency regarding existing data. Rather than having a health system manage disease, You need to ensure that it promotes health.”
Part of the committee’s goals involve targeting mental health and antidepressant use. Here’s what you need to know.
What is SSRI? Which drug is an SSRI drug?
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, also known as SSRIs, are one of the most prescribed antidepressants. They can treat other conditions such as symptoms of depression and general anxiety.
Mayo Clinic explains How SSRI worksSerotonin is one of the many chemical messengers in the brain called neurotransmitters, and is the carrier of signals between neurons in the brain.
“After carrying signals between brain cells, serotonin is usually returned to these cells, a process called reuptake. However, SSRI blocks this process,” the clinic writes. “Blocking reuptake will help more serotonin pass messages between brain cells. SSRIs are called selective, as they primarily affect serotonin and not other neurotransmitters. It will be done.”
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved these SSRIs to treat depression.
- Citalopram (Celexa)
- Escitalopram (lexapro)
- Fluoxetine (Prozac)
- Paloxetine (Paxil)
- Sertraline (Zoloft)
What is the difference between SSRIs and antidepressants?
SSRIs are a specific type of antidepressant drug.
Antidepressants According to the Cleveland Clinic, it is a common prescription drug that can help treat depression and other conditions, such as anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 8.3% of US adults aged 18 and older had a large episode of depression in 2021. For people aged 18-25, this rate jumped to 18.6%. According to a 2024 survey in the Journal, monthly antidepressant distribution rate among young people increased by 66.3% from January 2016 to December 2022. Pediatrics.
Some Types of antidepressants Target specific neurotransmitters including:
- Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI)
- Serotonin – Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitor (SNRIS)
- Norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIS)
- Tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants (TCAS)
- Serotonin Antagonists and Reuptake Inhibitors (SARIs)
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI)
Is the Trump administration pushing for banning SSRIs? This is what the executive order says
For now, no. The executive order says it addresses the possibility of overconsideration in children and the risks of antidepressants.
One of the committee’s goals is to “assess the prevalence and threat of threats posed by prescribing selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, stimulants, and weight loss drugs.” .
According to NBC NewsSome SSRIs are approved for children starting from the age of 6-10, depending on their condition. However, they are used much more commonly by adults than minors.
Has RFK Jr. dealt with antidepressant drug use before?
Kennedy has been speaking up about his distrust of antidepressants. However, many health experts argue that he is spreading misinformation about the effects of their drugs.
In 2024, Kennedy speculated that antidepressant use could explain the increase in school shootings. Lack of scientific evidence to support such claims.
“There’s no time in American history or human history when kids went to school to film their classmates,” Kennedy said in an April 2024 episode of the podcast “Club Random With Bill Maher.” He told Bill Maher of. With the introduction of these drugs, using Prozac and other drugs, it really began to intensify. ”
When asked about this last month during a hearing with the Senate Finance Committee, he lacked a clear response as to whether he was standing on his point. “It should be studied alongside other potential perpetrators,” he said, adding, “I just want to have good science.”
Kennedy also compared SSRI serotonin uptake inhibitors with heroin addiction.
“Listen, I know people, including members of my family. They had a much worse time than people were getting off heroin,” he said.
USA Today interviewed a psychiatric nurse practitioner Shawn Leonard Those who opposed the comparison between SSRI and heroin.
“The serotonin receptor sites and opiate receptor sites are midday and midday,” says Leonard. “It’s very difficult to get away from opiates. Your brain longs for it, your body longs for it. Serotonin, not too much.”
USA Today contributed to this report.
