WASHINGTON, June 25, 2024 – Today, in a historic move, the U.S. Surgeon General declared gun violence is a public health crisis. The declaration was paired with a new report analyzing rates of firearm violence and its impacts on our nation’s economy, health, and future. The report comes just weeks after Brady’s landmark This Is Our Lane Advisory Council publicly announced their initiative pushing for such action from the Surgeon General and the White House. The report also coincides with an original analysis conducted by Brady, and reported by KFF, on the public health and economic impact of gun violence in the U.S. and the disparity in research funding between firearm injuries and other leading causes of death. As the nation’s oldest gun violence prevention organization, Brady has worked closely alongside the White House and the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention to advocate for a robust public health response to this uniquely American crisis for years with Brady’s Board Chair and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Joseph V Sakran, leading the charge.
“Surgeon General reports are renowned publications that take an evidence-based approach to our nation’s most urgent public health issues. Seeing as firearms are now the leading cause of death for children and teens in the U.S., there’s arguably no public health issue that’s more urgent or that warrants the commission of a Surgeon General report more than gun violence,” said Dr. Sakran. “This advisory not only sounds the alarm for all Americans, but it signals there must be greater investments in research and violence prevention solutions. Historically, we have seen how the release of Surgeon General reports on public health issues such as the dangers of smoking ignited a wave of policy, legal, and public health initiatives that saved countless American lives and in this case led to deprogramming our nation from the tobacco industry’s lies. We hope this report will have the same resounding impact on the gun violence epidemic.”
The Surgeon General’s report details solutions that mirror Brady’s comprehensive approach to freeing America from gun violence. From advocating for a renewed push for an assault weapons ban to expanding Brady Background Checks, the report lays out a roadmap for all levels of government and the American public to band together to free America from gun violence.
“As a survivor of gun violence and a trauma surgeon who treats firearm injuries, I am appreciative of both the Surgeon General and the Biden-Harris administration,” continued Sakran. “The best medical treatment is prevention and we are grateful for the advocates who have been calling for this report and the experts who set it into motion, we will finally turn the tides in the fight against gun violence.”
This latest development comes on the second anniversary of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most comprehensive gun violence prevention legislation in 30 years, signed into law by President Biden.
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