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Gun Violence Is A ‘Public Health Crisis’, Stresses AMA – Will Pressurize Congress To Get Longtime Research Ban Lifted

By Alap Naik Desai
Published on: 10:18 PST, Jun 15, 2016

The American Medical Association (AMA) has reaffirmed that gun violence is a public health crisis and should be dealt with accordingly. The powerful lobby comprising of highly respected medical professionals will pressurize the Congress to have a longtime research ban on the subject removed for the sake of public safety.

AMA has passed a historic resolution as a response to rising instances of deaths due to guns and firearms. The association has decided to face the issue of gun violence head-on. Accordingly, the resolution that passed with a strong majority now officially recognizes gun violence as a public health issue, reported NPR. The recognition enables the association to bring forth acceptance of the crisis and develop methodologies to combat the same. Interestingly, one of the foremost tasks the association has taken up is convincing the Congress to lift a ban on research related to gun violence.

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AMA says it will actively lobby Congress to lift a 20-year-old ban that blocks the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from funding any research related to gun violence, reported Think Progress. While it is arguably one of the toughest tasks, the AMA confirmed it is committed to kick starting the vital research that could eventually help in preventing mass murders like the Orlando shooting, noted AMA President Dr. Steven Stack, in a written statement,

“Even as America faces a crisis unrivaled in any other developed country, the Congress prohibits the CDC from conducting the very research that would help us understand the problems associated with gun violence and determine how to reduce the high rate of firearm-related deaths and injuries.”

“An epidemiological analysis of gun violence is vital so physicians and other health providers, law enforcement and society at large may be able to prevent injury, death and other harms to society resulting from firearms.”

AMA stresses that it has always supported gun control, and in 2013 even called the uncontrolled ownership and use of firearms “a serious threat to public health” because “the weapons are one of the main causes of intentional and unintentional injuries and deaths,” reported CBS News.

Why was the research on gun violence and its effects on the American society suspended? Given the fact that America has one of the highest concentrations of gun owners, it appears absurd the research on gun violence was systematically stemmed. According to the statistics, there are about 90 guns for every 100 American residents, which is nearly double the number of the next country on the list.

The ban on researching effects of gun violence was enacted in 1996. Officially it is referred to as the Dickey Amendment, since it was then-Rep. Jay Dickey, R-Ark who was attributed to the law. It is widely acknowledged that it was the National Rifle Association (NRA) that was largely responsible to get the Congress suspend funding to any research on guns, gun control and similar studies. It is quite apparent that the NRA perceived any research as a direct threat to their industry.

The American legislature even allowed the Federal Weapons Ban that was in effect from 1994 till 2004, to lapse. The law was allowed to expire following the intense lobbying of the NRA, claim experts. The ban was partially helpful in restricting the sale of assault weapons to the ordinary citizenry. However, ever since it has lapsed, the sales of deadly weapons have skyrocketed.

Needless to add, noted physicians, scientists, politicians, and more importantly the family members of gun violence victims have long pressed for the reversal of the ban on research as well as the reinstatement of the federal assault weapons ban.

Following the deadly Orlando nightclub shooting, which was carried out using an AR-15 assault rifle, which continues to sell well in America, President Barack Obama has said he will appeal the Congress to reinstate the ban. Meanwhile, the AMA appears to be prepared for the long drawn battle with the lawmakers to get the research on gun violence restarted.

[Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]

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