Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. announced a new National Institutes of Health study to explore the connection between psychiatric medications, such as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), and violent behavior. This decision comes in the aftermath of a school shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, where 23-year-old Robert “Robin” Westman tragically killed two children and then himself.
During a Fox News interview, Kennedy stated, “At NIH, we’re launching studies on the potential contribution of some of the SSRI drugs and other psychiatric drugs that might be contributing to violence.” He pointed out that many psychiatric medications include black box warnings about possible suicidal or homicidal thoughts.
Kennedy has previously suggested a correlation between antidepressants and mass shootings, a perspective he reiterated during his confirmation hearings. He argued that the increase in school attacks coincided with the introduction of psychiatric medications, despite firearms being long accessible. Kennedy also proposed examining other potential factors, such as social media's impact.
The NIH study is in line with the Make America Healthy Again commission, established during President Donald Trump's administration, which investigates the prevalence and risks of SSRIs, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers in acts of violence, according to Newsweek. "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,” Kennedy remarked, implying the severity of these medications' impact on individuals.
Democratic lawmakers have criticized Kennedy's announcement and his focus on medications over firearms and school safety. Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith labeled Kennedy’s comments as “peddling bullsh*t.” Meanwhile, medical professionals, such as Dr. Ragy Girgis from Columbia University, caution against overstating the link between psychiatric drugs and violent acts, asserting that such medications contain anti-violence properties.
Research indicates that while there have been rare instances of aggression linked to certain medications, most mass shooters do not have documented antidepressant prescriptions. SSRIs are commonly prescribed for a variety of conditions, including depression and anxiety, and work by boosting serotonin levels in the brain. They are generally considered safe and effective but can cause side effects, and in rare cases among young adults, increased suicidal thoughts.
The study aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the potential risk factors and inform public policy to protect children in schools and other public spaces. Officials stress that the study is not an indictment of mental health treatment but a step towards understanding the broader causes of violence.
