Trump Administration Removes Surgeon General's Gun Violence Advisory

The removal aligns with an executive order to protect Second Amendment rights, drawing criticism from public health advocates and researchers.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has removed the Surgeon General's advisory on gun violence as a public health issue from its website, citing compliance with President Trump's executive order on Second Amendment rights.
The advisory, issued in June 2024 by Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, declared gun violence a public health crisis and called for evidence-based prevention strategies.
Gun violence prevention groups and researchers criticized the removal, warning it undermines efforts to address gun violence through a public health lens and threatens related research funding.
The framing of gun violence as a public health issue gained traction in recent years, supported by federal funding from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022.
Firearm-related injuries are the leading cause of death among U.S. children and teens, with rising gun-related suicides, emphasizing the significance of the issue.