AMA agrees w/ HHS secretary: CDC should conduct gun violence research

CHICAGO — The American Medical Association (AMA) released the following statement after HHS Sec. Alex Azar said he believes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has the ability to conduct gun violence research and that they “certainly will.”

“Gun violence today is a public health crisis in the United States; it knows no geographic, political or social bounds,” said AMA President David O. Barbe, M.D. “We agree with Secretary Azar that the CDC has the authority to conduct this critical research into gun violence and they should begin their work immediately. An epidemiological analysis of gun violence is vital to address this public health crisis so our society can take action and prevent injury, death and other harms resulting from firearms.