Overview

• Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Fox & Friends that NIH is launching studies into whether SSRIs and other psychiatric drugs might contribute to violence.
• Kennedy offered no specifics on the research design, scope or timeline, and HHS did not provide additional details in subsequent reports.
• Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota condemned the remarks, saying he should be fired and arguing the focus should be on access to guns rather than antidepressants.
• Police identified the shooter as 23-year-old Robin Westman, who died by suicide after killing two children and injuring 18 people, and authorities have not said whether Westman used psychiatric or transition-related medication.
• Public-health researchers and prior reviews report no established causal link between antidepressants and mass shootings, while the White House press secretary acknowledged HHS is examining potential links as part of broader mental-health concerns.