Firearm-Related Injury and Death in the United States
Authors: James R. Webster
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2020)

Letters3 March 2020Firearm-Related Injury and Death in the United StatesFREEJames R. Webster, MD, MSJames R. Webster, MD, MSFeinberg School of Medicine of Northwestern University, Santa Fe, New Mexico (J.R.W.)Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/L19-0743 SectionsAboutVisual AbstractPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:I read McLean and colleagues' article (1) with interest. It was wonderful and appropriate to see the President of the American College of Physicians continuing to lead our profession by proposing evidence-based interventions to reduce gun violence in the United States. The current collaborative, multiorganizational approach is clearly a great strategy to achieve results. I suggest the following further recommendations.First, a nationally enforced waiting period for gun ownership should be enacted. Currently available evidence (2) shows that this strategy substantially reduces suicides by firearms, which are currently the cause of most gun deaths in the United States (1). This intervention may even reduce gun homicide rates (3). I hope that more data on this subject will be obtained soon.Second, a national gun registry for semiautomatic handguns and rifles (such as AR-15s and AK-47s) should be created. This registry could exempt hunting rifles, antique guns, and such nonautomatic handguns as revolvers to blunt any concerns about Second Amendment rights. The evidence from Australia suggests that this approach alone substantially reduces the total number of gun-related deaths (4).Finally, physicians should receive more education about guns and gun violence nationally and locally. The need to provide such education is pressing (5). Knowledgeable physicians—especially former military members and gun owners—are a great untapped resource. A speaker's roster could be developed for giving presentations to medical students and housestaff and at grand rounds and national and hospital staff meetings.Unfortunately, eliminating this epidemic is a marathon and not a one-and-done sprint. Fortunately, the American College of Physicians is clearly up to the challenge.References1. McLean RM, Harris P, Cullen J, et al. Firearm-related injury and death in the United States: a call to action from the nation's leading physician and public health professional organizations. Ann Intern Med. 2019;171:573-7. [PMID: 31390463]. doi:10.7326/M19-2441 LinkGoogle Scholar2. Anestis MD, Anestis JC. Suicide rates and state laws regulating access and exposure to handguns. Am J Public Health. 2015;105:2049-58. [PMID: 26270305] doi:10.2105/AJPH.2015.302753 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Luca M, Deepak M, Poliguim C. Handgun waiting periods reduce gun deaths. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2017;114:262-5. CrossrefGoogle Scholar4. Chapman S, Alpers P. Gun-related deaths: how Australia stepped off “the American path.”. Ann Intern Med. 2013;158:770-1. [PMID: 23478752]. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-158-10-201305210-00624 LinkGoogle Scholar5. Webster JR. Wanted: local medical experts/champions to reduce gun violence. Am J Med. 2019;132:376-77. CrossrefGoogle Scholar Comments0 CommentsSign In to Submit A Comment Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Feinberg School of Medicine of Northwestern University, Santa Fe, New Mexico (J.R.W.)Disclosures: The author has disclosed no conflicts of interest. The form can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=L19-0743. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoFirearm-Related Injury and Death in the United States: A Call to Action From the Nation's Leading Physician and Public Health Professional Organizations Robert M. McLean , Patrice Harris , John Cullen , Ronald V. Maier , Kyle E. Yasuda , Bruce J. Schwartz , and Georges C. Benjamin Firearm-Related Injury and Death in the United States Robert M. McLean Metrics 3 March 2020Volume 172, Issue 5Page: 367-368KeywordsArmed forcesConflicts of interestDisclosureFirearm injuriesHomicideSuicideViolent crime ePublished: 3 March 2020 Issue Published: 3 March 2020 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2020 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...