AAPM&R has signed onto a Call to Action for policies to help mitigate the rate of firearm injuries and deaths in the United States. The Call, entitled Firearm-Related Injury and Death in the United States: A Call to Action From the Nation's Leading Physician and Public Health Professional Organizations, was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine on August 7, 2019.
On a daily basis, physiatrists see the disabling impact of firearm injuries to individual patients and communities as a whole. By participating in this Call to Action, AAPM&R is adding the voice of physiatrists to that of more than 756,000 physicians. Multiple medical societies have joined this call to action, which was authored by: The American College of Physicians, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association and American Psychiatric Association.
As stated in the paper: "Our organizations support a multifaceted public health approach to prevention of firearm injury and death similar to approaches that have successfully reduced the ill effects of tobacco use, motor vehicle accidents, and unintentional poisoning. While we recognize the significant political and philosophical differences about firearm ownership and regulation in the United States, we are committed to reaching out to bridge these differences to improve the health and safety of our patients, their families, and communities, while respecting the U.S. Constitution.”
In 2015, AAPM&R, along with 51 other organizations, supported a similar paper entitled Firearm-Related Injury and Death in the United States: A Call to Action from 8 Health Professional Organizations and the American Bar Association. AAPM&R continues to be a #PMRAdvocate on a variety of critical issues impacting the specialty and the patients we serve. AAPM&R will continue to be a #PMRAdvocate in efforts to maximize patients’ independence in activities of daily living and improve quality of life. To see the latest updates, visit the Academy in Action page on www.aapmr.org.