She continued: “Not that you discount the risks of medications because they’re real as well, but there is real risk with disease.”

As per the publication, several other Washington physicians have addressed with the notion that monitoring prescriptions is sound practice, but believe that a federal order could spark division between physicians and their patients.

Speaking about mental health implications directly, Summer Starr, the interim director of Washington’s National Alliance on Mental Illness, also raised her concerns.

“You’d never deny someone cancer treatment,” she began. “There isn’t the same level of stigma for that. We’re trying to destigmatize mental health, and this just adds another layer of that.”

Starr added that denying children and teenagers initial treatment for mental health and illness could impact their recovery later down the line.

It isn’t just medics that have expressed their concerns over the aims of the new commission, with hundreds of social media users also hitting out.

Trump signed his policy yesterday (19 Feb)Trump signed his policy yesterday (19 Feb)
Trump signed his policy yesterday (19 Feb)
“I have ADHD and OCD. I wouldn’t be able to function without medications altering my brain and fixing my imbalances,” one confessed on X (formerly Twitter).

Another wrote: “This was one of RFK Jr.’s first orders after being sworn in.

“Just an astonishing denial of science and will cause so much pain to the 45 million Americans facing mental health challenges.”

A third slammed: “Literally would not be alive today without my ssri. But that’s probably the point.”