Physicians have a unique perspective on gun violence. Caring for people who have been shot and telling family and friends that their loved one has been seriously injured or has died has an effect on doctors. Physicians are focused not just on caring for people who have been injured, but also on how to prevent injuries. Because of this, physicians and the professional medical organizations that represent them have been outspoken in their support for gun law reform and common sense gun laws that respect the second amendment, but that also can save lives and prevent injuries. As scientists, they study empirical data and advocate for evidenced-based strategies to reduce gun violence. They also support repealing the ban on federal funding into gun violence and oppose “gag” bills that would make it illegal for physicians to discuss safe storage of guns with patients.
Below are a number of calls to action and policy statements from some of the most respected professional medical organizations.
Reducing Firearm Injuries and Deaths in the United States: A Position Paper From the American College of Physicians
American College of Physicians
November 2018
AMA Recommends New, Common-sense Policies to Prevent Gun Violence
American Medical Association
June 2018
Stop the Madness: End the Violence!
American Nurses Association
June 2018
American Trauma Society Statement: Gun Violence
American Trauma Society
March 2018
AAP resolve for gun violence prevention stronger than ever
American Academy of Pediatrics
March 2018
ACS and Violence Prevention
American College of Surgeons
February 2018
AMWA Speaks out on Gun Violence: Statement from the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force
American Medical Women’s Association
February 2018
Pediatric Trauma Society Statement on Gun Violence
Pediatric Trauma Society
February 2018
Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) position statement: restore CDC funding for firearms and gun violence prevention research
Society of Behavioral Medicine
February 2018
NASP Adopts Resolution Supporting Efforts to Prevent Gun Violence
National Association of School Psychologists
January 2018
Statement of APA President in Response to Texas Church Shootings: Calling it a “mental health problem” distracts from finding real solutions to gun violence
American Psychological Association
November 2017
Funding and Publication of Research on Gun Violence and Other Leading Causes of Death
Journal of the American Medical Association
January 2017
Physician Groups Representing 426,000 Doctors: Gun Violence Must Stop
American Psychiatric Association
June 2016
Children and Guns: A Policy Statement of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
June 2016
American Psychiatric Association: Position Statement on Firearm Access, Acts of Violence and the Relationship to Mental Illness and Mental Health Services
American Psychiatric Association
June 2015
Firearm-Related Injury and Death in the United States: A Call to Action From 8 Health Professional Organizations and the American Bar Association
Annals of Internal Medicine
April 2015
Reducing Firearm-Related Harms: Time for Us to Study and Speak Out
Annals of Internal Medicine
April 2015
Statement of Policy: Gun Violence and Safety
American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology
February 2014
A Call to Action: Firearms, Public Health, and Emergency Medicine
Annals of Emergency Medicine
March 2013
Ending the Silence on Gun Violence
Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Gun Violence
April 2013
Silencing the Science on Gun Research
Journal of the American Medical Association
February 2013
