(WNY News Now) – A leading medical society warns that a new federal health report risks turning back decades of scientific progress on ADHD care, equity, and policy.
ARLINGTON, VA — The Society for ADHD and Co-Occurring Conditions (The Society) has released a powerful op-ed from its President and CEO, Tanya Murphy, in direct response to the Trump Administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) Report, issued May 22 by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Murphy describes the MAHA Report as “a manifesto of misinformation—fueled more by ideology than evidence, and more likely to mislead than to heal.” In her op-ed, titled Why the MAHA Report Is a Threat to Science, Health Equity, and Every Family Seeking Answers, Murphy warns that the report’s claims, particularly regarding Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), represent a dangerous rollback of science-backed health care, particularly for underserved and later-in-life diagnosed populations.
“Let me be clear: this is not a public health plan,” says Murphy. “It is a dangerous attempt to undermine decades of scientific research, vilify medical professionals, and stigmatize millions of Americans—especially those living with ADHD.”
The Society is particularly concerned about the following items published in this report:
- Promotion of debunked theories linking ADHD to poor parenting and lifestyle choices;
- Dismissal of ADHD medications as overprescribed and ineffective, despite decades of peer-reviewed research proving otherwise;
- Minimization of adult ADHD, which disproportionately affects individuals diagnosed later in life, especially women and people of color;
- Failure to include medical experts, clinical researchers, or community voices in its authorship or review process.
Murphy and The Society are calling on Congress to reject the MAHA Report’s conclusions and convene a new, science-based task force to review the existing evidence on ADHD and other neurodevelopmental conditions, and to build on that evidence where needed. The Society urges this task force to include physicians, researchers, mental health professionals, and lived-experience advocates to ensure future federal guidance reflects medical consensus and real-world needs.
The Society for ADHD and Co-Occurring Conditions was founded to advocate for evidence-based care, combat stigma, and expand access to diagnosis and treatment for marginalized and underserved communities. Its leadership includes clinicians, policy experts, and grassroots advocates working to improve quality of life for the millions of people living with ADHD.
“To RFK Jr. and the administration officials who allowed this report to be released under the banner of public health,” Murphy adds, “the ADHD community is watching. And we will not let you rewrite our reality.”
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