R.F.K. Jr.’s Newest Mission: Getting Us Off Antidepressants

About this episode

<p>In his latest public health crusade, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, is asking why millions of Americans have been taking psychiatric drugs for far longer than ever intended.</p> <p>In the process, he’s highlighting an open secret in medicine: that doctors are better at starting drug treatments than at stopping them, and that patients who want to end their treatment are increasingly taking matters into their own hands.</p> <p>Ellen Barry, a mental health reporter, takes us inside the growing movement to “deprescribe.”</p> <p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/ellen-barry" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Ellen Barry</strong></a>, a reporter covering mental health for The New York Times.</p> <p>Background reading: Some psychiatrists fear that Mr. Kennedy’s call to rein in the use of depression medications will <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/24/science/rfk-jr-antidepressants-ssri-psychiatry.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">drive patients away from care.</a></p> <p>Photo: Darren Staples/Reuters</p> <p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily" rel="noopener noreferrer">nytimes.com/thedaily</a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. </p> <p><p>Subscribe today at <a href="http://nytimes.com/podcasts">nytimes.com/podcasts</a> or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher">https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher</a>. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.</p></p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>