The following statement is attributable to:
Jack Resneck, Jr. M.D.
President, American Medical Association
“For the first time in a generation, we see that bipartisanship is possible on the issue of firearm safety, that compromise can produce meaningful results, and that Congress can come together in response to what the AMA considers a public health crisis of firearm violence. We applaud the Senate and the bipartisan group of senators who negotiated and wrote the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and we urge the House of Representatives to act quickly and pass this legislation. This package will save lives.
“But the journey to reduce firearm violence must not end with this bill. Physicians across the country see up close and every day the impact these weapons of war have on the human body. We see it in our emergency departments, in our trauma centers, and, yes, in our morgues. For decades, the AMA has built robust policy to prevent firearm violence – both the everyday type that is so common in our communities it often no longer receives a mention on the local news, and the type that grabs national attention, forces us to reflect, and makes millions march.
“In 2020, 45,222 Americans were killed by firearms. They were our friends and neighbors, our parents, our children, our teachers, and our fellow parishioners. Much more can and should be done, including research to inform the implementation of evidence-based policies and programs to prevent firearm violence in the first place. The AMA remains steadfastly committed to common-sense solutions to save lives.”
Over the past two decades, the AMA has developed numerous policy recommendations to reduce firearm trauma, injury and death, including:
- A waiting period for firearm availability
- Background checks for all firearm purchasers
- Firearm safety and research and enhancing access to mental health care
- Gun safety education and regulation of interstate traffic of guns
- Distribution of firearm safety materials in the clinical setting
- Limit and control the possession and storage of weapons on school property
- Firearm safety counseling with patients
- Trigger locks and gun cabinets to improve firearm safety
- Data on firearm deaths and injuries
- Prevention of unintentional shooting deaths among children
- Ban on handguns and automatic repeating weapons
- Prevention of firearm accidents in children
- Waiting period before gun purchase
- Restriction of assault weapons
- Mandated penalties for crimes committed with firearms
- Public health policy approach for preventing violence in America
The AMA declared firearm-related violence–one of the leading causes of intentional and unintentional injuries and deaths in the United States–a public health crisis in in 2016. The AMA has also developed resources to help physicians address firearm violence, including a continuing medical education (CME) module designed to assist physicians in recognizing risk factors and effectively communicating with patients to reduce the risk of firearm injury and death. The AMA will continue to support policies and advocate for initiatives aimed at encouraging firearm safety and preventing firearm-related injuries and deaths.
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About the American Medical Association
The American Medical Association is the physicians’ powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in health care. The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises and, driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in health care.
