Watchdog Group CCHR Warns Psychiatry Resists Antidepressant Deprescribing Efforts

The Citizens Commission on Human Rights International (CCHR) warns that organized psychiatry's historical practices could undermine a new federal plan to address antidepressant overprescribing and support safe tapering.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) introduced initiatives in May 2026 to promote safe deprescribing. CCHR argues that psychiatry's past actions, including downplaying risks, opposing warnings, and limiting patient disclosure, suggest a lack of genuine support for these reforms.

CCHR highlights a 2025 survey by a psychiatric committee, where 94% of respondents opposed HHS reforms, viewing it as an attempt to protect prescribing patterns. The watchdog group points to a long-standing pattern of minimizing antidepressant risks and withdrawal symptoms, often mislabeling severe withdrawal as relapse.

This alleged resistance, CCHR suggests, persists despite soaring mental health spending and worsening outcomes, raising concerns about patient safety and informed consent amid calls for stronger protections.