As evidenced by the recent rash of firearms-related injuries and deaths, communities across the U.S. continue to suffer. In 2020, the most recent year for which data is available, firearm-related injuries led to 45,222 fatalities, an increase of nearly 15% over the previous year. In recognition of these tragedies, ASCP has
joined together with almost 300 national and state medical specialty, public health and patient advocacy organizations to urge Congress to provide $60 million in additional federal funding for gun violence prevention research.
The goal of this effort is rigorous research into how best to prevent unintended firearm injuries and fatalities; the most effective methods to prevent firearm-related suicides; the measures that can best prevent the next shooting at a school or public place; and numerous other vital public health questions. Robust and sustained research on motor vehicle crashes and subsequent legislation has helped save hundreds of thousands of lives through public health interventions, including seat belts and other safety features. ASCP hopes the same approach can help reduce firearm-related injuries in our communities, including ensuring that the CDC and NIH are able to adequately fund non-biased, evidence-based research into this public health priority.
Together with our coalition organizer—the American Association of Pediatrics—the ASCP, American Medical Association, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Physicians, and others are urging Congress to provide $35 million for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and $25 million for the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
To read more articles from this issue of ePolicy, click
here. To learn more about ePolicy News and access past newsletters and articles, click
here.
For more information regarding ASCP's advocacy initiatives and policy positions, please contact ASCP's Center for Public Policy at (202) 408-1110.
ASCP ePolicy News is supported by an unrestricted grant from Hologic.
