Dear Docs,
Recently the American Medical Association announced that it has resolved to join the battle to promote the “Call to Action” raised by eight national health professional organizations and reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2015.
The AMA now joins The American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Physicians, American College of Surgeons, American Psychiatric Association, and The American Public Health Association in calling for:
- Universal background checks
- Restrictions on civilian use of military-style assault weapons and large-capacity magazines
- Elimination of “Gag Laws”
- CDC funding for gun violence research.
These medical organizations are joined by the American Bar Association, which asserts that the recommendations are not in conflict with the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution.
Cheryl Farmer, a member of our PPGV executive committee and the Michigan State Medical Society, authored the resolution that led to this result. Cheryl wondered why the AMA wasn’t a part of the 2015 “Call” and wanted “the Big Mama” to join us in the fight. She took her resolution from PPGV to the Washtenaw County Medical Society to MSMS and finally to the AMA. And we won! Read about it here: https://wire.ama-assn.org/ama-news/ama-joins-call-action-stem-tide-gun-violence.
This success shows the way in which organized medicine, through our county and state medical societies, helps physicians protect the public interest. It also shows how PPGV (430 members strong, and growing!) can use its focused commitment to the prevention of gun related injury and death to steer the power of the AMA toward the righteous cause of sensible gun laws. Thanks go out to all: Dr. Farmer, PPGV, WCMS, MSMS, and the AMA!
Statements from our new president–elect suggest that the work ahead of us may be even harder. But as we have seen, much can be accomplished when we work together! Cheers!