Citation

Webster JR. Ann. Intern Med. 2020; 172(5): 367-368.

Affiliation

Feinberg School of Medicine of Northwestern University, Santa Fe, New Mexico (J.R.W.).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, American College of Physicians)

DOI

10.7326/L19-0743

PMID

32120387

Abstract

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 ...

Language: en