HHS advances guidance to help patients discontinue antidepressants

In a private meeting in Washington, officials from the Department of Health and Human Services met with mental-health clinicians to discuss a new clinical guidance aimed at deprescribing selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

The participants examined guidance used in European countries and explored non-medication alternatives that could support patients who wish to stop antidepressant therapy.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the effort is intended to give providers clear recommendations for safely tapering patients off psychiatric drugs, though the final guidance has not yet been released.

The initiative reflects a broader push to address long-term antidepressant use, but it may also raise questions for pharmaceutical companies that market SSRIs.