After newly sworn-in President Donald Trump signed a controversial executive order affecting children’s psychiatric medications, many Americans voiced concern. The order, part of Trump’s “Make America Healthy Again Commission,” aims to “assess the prevalence of and threat posed by the prescription of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antipsychotics, mood stabilisers, stimulants, and weight-loss drugs.”

The commission, chaired by US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., must submit a report in 100 days, followed by a strategy with recommendations 80 days later. It also pledges to “drastically lower chronic disease rates and end childhood chronic disease” by investigating “over-utilisation of medication,” “certain chemicals,” and other exposures.

Healthcare professionals criticized the plan. Dr. Lelach Rave warned that psychiatric medications are “often life-saving,” stressing that untreated illness can be harmful: “Any parent who has a child who is struggling with depression or anxiety or psychosis, it’s a scary place to be.”

Social media users echoed concerns. “Just an astonishing denial of science and will cause so much pain,” one wrote. Another shared, “I have ADHD and OCD…I wouldn’t be able to function without medications.”

Mental health advocate Summer Starr compared it to cancer treatment: “You’d never deny someone cancer treatment… this just adds another layer of stigma.”