The Society for ADHD and Co-Occurring Conditions Condemns MAHA Report as “Dangerous, Misleading, and Ideologically Driven”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 23, 2025

Contact: Joe Agovino | 516-509-3075 | media@societyforadhd.org

Calls on Congress to Launch Bipartisan Scientific Inquiry into ADHD Policy and Care

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.”

About The Society for ADHD and Co-Occurring Conditions:

The Society for ADHD and Co-Occurring Conditions is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering individuals and families affected by Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder through advocacy, education, and community support. Founded with a mission to dismantle stigma, promote equitable access to care, and amplify the lived experiences of those navigating ADHD, particularly in historically underserved communities, the Society offers programs, resources, and public policy leadership that center inclusion, science, and compassion. We reject deficit-based thinking and instead celebrate neurodiversity as a source of strength, resilience, and creativity. Through grassroots action, expert-informed initiatives, and a growing national network of members and allies, the Society is building a future where all people with ADHD are recognized, supported, and empowered to thrive.

About Tanya Murphy; CBTAC, MBSRP:

Tanya Murphy is the President and CEO of the Society for ADHD and Co-Occurring Conditions, a national leader in advancing equity, education, and access in the field of neurodiversity. A tireless advocate, organizational strategist, a woman with late diagnosed ADHD and mother of neurodivergent children, Tanya brings both professional expertise and deeply personal insight to her work. With a background in nonprofit leadership and public engagement, she has spent over a decade building programs that empower marginalized communities, promote culturally competent care, and challenge the systemic barriers facing individuals with ADHD, especially those diagnosed later in life or navigating intersecting conditions. Tanya founded the Society as a bold reimagining of what advocacy should look like: inclusive, evidence-based, and rooted in lived experience. Under her leadership, the Society is emerging as a national force for truth, dignity, and transformation in how we understand and support the ADHD community.

Attached:

●       Full Op-Ed: Why the MAHA Report Is a Threat to Science, Health Equity, and Every Family Seeking Answers