We’re taking a stand against gun violence.

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“Just as physicians worked to safeguard public health by promoting smoking bans in public places, we should draw on similar motivations and strategies to promote sensible, evidence-based laws to decrease the harms associated with gun violence.
It is our responsibility to do so.”

~ Christine Laine, MD, Editor in Chief and Deputy Editors of Annals of Internal Medicine

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Mission Statement

Doctors 4 Gun Safety is committed to the premise that gun violence represents a public health crisis in the United States. As physicians we serve as advocates for the nation’s health. We are in a unique position to both identify and treat those at high risk for, or victimized by, violence.

Our goal is to use education, research and advocacy as methods to achieve safe and responsible gun ownership and use.

We are interested in forming an evidenced-based policy related to gun ownership. We recognize that gun violence is a multifactorial problem and we welcome the knowledge of law enforcement and experienced and responsible gun owners.

The prevention of unnecessary suffering, morbidity and mortality related to inappropriate gun access is a core value of our organization.

We recognize the need for the medical profession to be a part of the dialogue centered on protecting ourselves, our children, our patients and our fellow citizens.

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Specific areas of concern and focus include:

Public education and awareness of safety issues and risk factors for gun violence

Promoting the ban of military assault rifles and devices that increase the potential for mass violence

Promoting universal background checks for all venues of gun sales

Improved access to and funding for mental health services for those at risk of self harm or violence towards others

Opposing laws intended to limit a physician’s right to discuss gun ownership and safety with patients

Promote and encourage funding to research gun violence and the results of programs aimed at reducing it

Opposing concealed carry reciprocity

Active efforts to engage the police, gun shop owners and other key stakeholders in creating practical programs to promote gun safety and decrease the risk of violence

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Who We Are

We are a grassroots organization of doctors who believe that gun violence in the U.S. is a public health crisis.

We are not affiliated with any political party.

As physicians, we feel obligated not only to participate in the treatment of individuals, but to assume a leadership role in the resolution of the gun violence epidemic.

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Washington, DC March

We are planning a March in Washington, DC.

At that time we hope to be speaking to members of Congress.

If you are interested in joining us, please click the button below.

We are finalizing a date and will notify you as soon as possible.

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Gun Facts

April 2018

1In 2015 the Washington Post cited studies estimating that there were 357 million guns in the United States, 40 million more than the number of people

2There are roughly twice the number of guns per capita in the United States today than in 1968 (Congressional Research Center)

3From 1982 to 2011 mass shootings occurred at the rate of one every 200 days. Since late 2011 that rate has tripled to one every 64 days (Harvard School of Public Health)

4In 2016 the US had 8 times the gun death rate as Canada (NPR)

5For every time a gun was used in self-defense or for a legally justified reason, there were
4 unintentional shootings,
7 assaults or homicides and
11 attempted or completed suicides (Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology)

6Firearms are used in the majority of US homicides. Comparative rates of guns used in homicides for three countries:
US – 64%
Canada – 8%
England – 4.5% (BBC News)

7Among children, 89% of unintentional shootings occurred in the home, usually because a child was playing with a gun (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia)

8In 2014, 4300 young people between the ages of 10 and 24 were victims of gun related homicide (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia)

9Suicide attempts by firearms are 90% effective as opposed to 34% for jumping and 2% for drug overdoses. 90% of suicide attempt survivors do not go on to die of suicide (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia)

10According to the CDC, suicide by firearm accounted for ⅔ of gun related deaths in 2016

11People who report “firearms access” are at twice the risk of homicide and three times the risk of suicide (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia)

12According to the US General Accounting Office, 31% of accidental deaths could be prevented by just two implements: childproof locks and loading indicators

139 mm handgun bullets travel at 1200 ft/second and have a kinetic energy of 400 ft/lbs. The AR-15 bullet travels at 3251 ft/second and has a kinetic velocity of 1300 ft/lbs. The AR-15 is designed to allow 30 or more bullets to feed without reloading and kill as many people as possible in the shortest time frame possible (NBC News)

14A handgun bullet will damage tissue and organs within its direct path but ammunition in military grade weapons, due to cavitation related to speed and bullet mass, will damage a wide range of surrounding tissue causing catastrophic damage to the body

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We welcome any physician or physician-in-training in the U.S. who shares our beliefs and wishes to help us work toward gun safety and responsible gun ownership.