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Axios - HHS drops surgeon general's advisory on gun violence

Maya Goldman
3 hours ago

The Trump administration has removed a 2024 surgeon general's advisory on the public health impacts of gun violence and a related webpage from the Health and Human Services website.

The big picture: Firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens in the United States and account for an average of 45,738 annual deaths nationwide.

• But the 2024 advisory from then-Surgeon General Vivek Murthy signaled the Biden administration would promote gun safety measures heading into the election, looking to draw a contrast with President Trump's opposition to gun restrictions.

State of play: A tab for information on firearm violence in America no longer exists on the Office of the Surgeon General's website. A link to the firearm violence webpage returns a "Page Not Found" message.

• An HHS spokesperson said the agency took down the information to comply with Trump's executive order on protecting Second Amendment rights.
• HHS did not elaborate on how the advisory violated the order.

Catch up quick: The 40-page document, https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/firearm-violence-advisory.pdf" target="_blank">still available on the Wayback Machine, outlined how gun violence affects physical and mental health and recommended public health strategies to prevent violence.

• It called for more mental health support for gun violence survivors, proper firearm storage, universal background checks and assault weapons bans.
• The advisory came about five years after Congress reached a deal to fund research on gun violence for the first time in more than two decades.

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