A recent FDA advisory panel meeting on using antidepressants during pregnancy has drawn strong criticism from psychiatrists, accusing it of spreading misinformation and misrepresenting established medical evidence.
The meeting, held Monday, was billed as an inclusive forum featuring a diverse range of views on the safety and efficacy of antidepressants during pregnancy. However, psychiatrists who watched the proceedings say the panel strayed far from balanced, instead warning of alarmist risks such as autism, miscarriage, and birth defects. Some panelists went as far as to claim that antidepressants are ineffective or unnecessary because depression resolves on its own.
Out of ten panelists, only three were from outside the U.S., and another specializes in helping people taper off psychiatric medications. Critics say this group skewed results away from mainstream medical opinion, which generally holds that the benefits of antidepressants can outweigh their risks for pregnant women with moderate to severe depression—after careful consultation with healthcare providers.
Dr. Joseph Goldberg, clinical professor of psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, described the discussion as a spread of “safety concerns that are not evidence-based or established,” adding it failed to consider the serious consequences of untreated depression.
Similarly, Dr. Jennifer Payne, director of the Reproductive Psychiatry Research Program at UVA, criticized the FDA’s choice to include international voices over well-versed U.S. experts: “I’m disappointed that the FDA brought people in from outside the United States when there’s so many experts here who truly know this literature inside and out,” she said.
The FDA defended its panel selection, noting that the process supports top-tier science and access to independent specialists. A spokesperson emphasized Commissioner Martin Makary’s commitment to “gold standard science” that safeguards public health.
Meanwhile, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has called for an investigation into antidepressant safety, suggesting long-term consequences after his May report flagged “major long-term repercussions” tied to childhood SSRI use.
Panel discussions centered on SSRIs—such as Lexapro, Prozac, and Zoloft—a common first-line class of depression medications. SSRIs increase serotonin levels to improve mood and are often advised to continue through pregnancy when depression risks outbalance medication risks.
However, critics on the panel — including Dr. David Healy from the U.K., a Royal College of Psychiatrists fellow — dismissed SSRIs as ineffective, claiming, “SSRIs help people who are severely depressed. They don’t.” He also added that depression sometimes resolves without treatment.
Other panelists, like psychologist Roger McFillin, suggested depression is not a medical illness but part of women’s emotional lives, even alleging coercion in prescribing SSRIs—claims psychiatrists say are unsupported by evidence.
Leading U.S. psychiatrists dismissed these views as conspiratorial. Goldberg responded: “You can say the moon landing was faked… but there is not a doubt about whether SSRIs work” .
He declined to join the panel, citing concerns the forum wouldn’t treat evidence fairly.
Observational research shows SSRIs may cause temporary neonatal adaptation syndrome—symptoms like jitteriness or sleep issues that resolve quickly—but there’s no convincing link to autism or congenital defects.
Some studies report a slight miscarriage risk, though most find no such correlation.
In contrast to the panel’s alarming tone, principled voices defended SSRIs. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) released a scathing statement: only one panelist “spoke to the importance of SSRIs in pregnancy as a critical tool” among ten experts.
They warned the panel’s views could deter pregnant people from getting treatment that saves lives.
Dr. Kay Roussos-Ross—an OB-GYN psychiatrist at the University of Florida—was the meeting’s lone prominent voice for continuing SSRIs, urging data-driven, balanced evaluation.
Observers warn the panel’s tone may prompt regulators to tighten SSRI warnings, potentially restricting access at a time when untreated depression is linked to maternal suicide, low birth weight, preterm birth, and poor prenatal care.
In the closing analysis, psychiatrists are urging that medical guidelines continue to prioritize personalized care. They emphasize weighing both the harms of medication and the serious risks of untreated depression in pregnancy.
