Florida’s surgeon general warns against mental health medications for children

Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo is issuing new guidance for health care providers, advising against the use of psychotropic medications for children aged 5 to 17. The directive suggests that these drugs are often prescribed for mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and ADHD without sufficient evidence of long-term safety or FDA-approved labeling for pediatric use.

The Florida Department of Health is emphasizing that children frequently do not receive thorough evaluations of environmental stressors or behavioral therapy options before doctors initiate drug treatments. The guidance outlines five specific strategies for providers to consider to reduce reliance on pharmacotherapy. These include performing comprehensive and physical evaluations, prioritizing psychotherapy, utilizing evidence-based behavior management, and pursuing intentional deprescribing for children already on medication.

Data from the National Health Interview Survey indicates that roughly 15% of children in this age group received some form of mental health treatment over the past year, with 8% of that population taking medication. State officials are now pushing for a shift toward behavioral interventions rather than immediate pharmaceutical intervention for minors. This move aligns with a broader push for deprescribing psychiatric medications that has gained recent attention in national health policy discussions.

The department maintains that the long-term impact of these substances on developing children remains poorly understood. Health care providers across the state are now being encouraged to revisit their approach to pediatric mental health care, focusing on holistic, non-drug interventions before moving to prescriptions.