The volume of death, disability, injury, and collective trauma resulting from gun violence has led the physicians of the Medical Society – and the medical community at large – to the consensus that firearm violence constitutes a direct but preventable threat to the safety of our patients and is a public health crisis. We strongly support U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy’s assertion that the nation must urgently and collectively commit to ending this crisis.
Gun violence is the leading cause of death among children in the United States and it disproportionately impacts Black Americans, who die of gun homicides at 12 times the rate of white Americans. As physicians we cannot accept the devastating impact of gun violence in our communities. With 130 lives lost to gun violence each day in America, we are heartbroken, angry but, sadly, not surprised when we encounter a patient who has in some way been impacted by gun violence.
The Medical Society, in collaboration with our Firearm Safety and Gun Violence Prevention Advisory Group, will continue to advocate on behalf of our patients for gun safety measures and substantive and impactful change, including mandatory background checks for all gun purchases and for expanded allocation of resources to fund public health research that can uncover the causes of gun violence and means by which to prevent further devastation. We are long-time supporters of Sen. Warren’s proposed legislation, the Gun Violence Prevention and Community Safety Act, and continue to call on Congress to pass this meaningful legislation.
We recognize and applaud the Commonwealth’s long-standing leadership in enacting robust firearm violence prevention laws. We are encouraged that the Massachusetts House and Senate have drafted comprehensive bills to build upon our strong foundation of laws intended to reduce gun violence and we are hopeful that this legislation advances in the coming weeks so that we can take purposeful steps forward to protect patients and communities.
-Hugh Taylor, MD, President, Massachusetts Medical Society
