ACP chides Washington over gun violence 'paralysis'

O ACP chides Washington sobre a violência de injetor “paralysis”

por Brendon Nafziger, DOTmed News Associate Editor | February 21, 2013

The American College of Physicians waded into an ongoing controversy over guns Wednesday when it chided Washington for "paralysis" in its inability to pass new measures to help curb some 30,000 firearm deaths and injuries in the United States each year.

In its annual report on America's health care system, the society, which represents some 133,000 internal medicine doctors and students, urged the federal government to improve mental health access, fund violence prevention research, block regulations that prevent doctors from discussing gun risks with their patients, and ban assault weapons with "military-style" features.

"How many more need to die before we act?" Bob Doherty, senior vice president of government affairs for the organization, asked during a press conference Wednesday.

The suggestions came as part of a call for removing barriers between doctors and patients, improving U.S. health care and preventing a primary care doctor shortage. The group also urged Congress to avert massive, across-the board cuts known as the sequestration, repeal the sustainable growth rate formula, which routinely threatens physicians with hefty Medicare cuts, and asked all states to get on board with Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act.

The role of doctors and health care to prevent gun violence became a hot issue after a series of mass shootings in the United States over the past year. In January, President Obama signed an executive order clarifying that the Affordable Care Act does not prohibit doctors from asking patients if they own a gun. He also authorized the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct research on gun violence, something the organization had not done for around 17 years, largely to avoid running afoul of federal rules that don't let it take a stance on gun control, according to a post in Slate last month.

Some states have already tried to prevent doctors from asking if their patients owned guns. Florida passed such a law, but it was thrown out last summer by a federal judge on First Amendment grounds.


(1) Jonathan Truhlar Death toll February 21, 2013 09:08 This debate is a non-issue. The second amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees a citizens right to keep and bear arms without infringement. A better debate would be how to curb the conservative estimate of 100,000 plus deaths directly related to medical blunders each year. Medicine is not a constitutionally protected guarantee. In examining our motives, instead of the political winds, maybe we should start there... Log inor Register to rate and post a comment Todd Schmechel Seriously? February 21, 2013 10:14 Gun control only effects law abiding citizens. What criminal is going to give up a gun because of new laws? NONE!!! They're called a criminal for a reason. Log inor Register to rate and post a comment (1) (6) Mike Davies What You Want vs. What You Get February 21, 2013 02:58 As has already been said, gun control does nothing to deter criminals, they aldeady disreagrd the laws of the land, including those that prohibit murder. Banning any sort of firearm has not worked in the past (see any study done on the effects of the Brady bill) and it will not work now. We need to vigorously prosecute criminals and make the punishment for crime so steep that nobody having paid the price once, will even think about doing it again. The menatlity of those who push for gun control legislation is such that it makes we wonder if many remain who are capable of logical thought. Log inor Register to rate and post a comment (1) Wade Byerly Dotmed Political Reporting February 21, 2013 02:58 Your point for posting this article? Nothing to do with medical equipment and just used to share your political opinions. Shame on Dotmed. Log inor Register to rate and post a comment Colt Rhoads Ridiculous! February 21, 2013 02:59 Let's look a little deeper into how many deaths are caused or attributed to doctors. You'll find that the numbers are way under reported. It's OK to discuss the need for additional mental health services and the easier access for them, but physicians shouldn't be, as a group, speaking up to ban assault rifles or tighten gun control. I odd, VP Biden just did an interview regarding gun control. He said that you don't need an AR15, but getting a shot gun is all you need. Then a day later, some mentally disturbed person shoots several people with a shotgun and then commits suicide, near my work. Please weigh the rights we have to defend our families, homes and properties before you take a stand for gun control. In the shoot out in the theater in Colorado, if they had open carry laws, chances are there would have been 2-3 people in the theater that would have had a side arm on them and would have been able to end the shoot out much sooner, saving many lifes. Log inor Register to rate and post a comment Todd Schmechel Capitol Punishment? February 26, 2013 04:15 Maybe we should expand current capitol punishment statutes to include any offense where a firearm was used illegally. Make the crime a Federal Offense with a mandatory capitol sentence. The big bad government will be leading the charge to get these violent criminals off the streets. Thoughts? Log inor Register to rate and post a comment
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