The Division of Well being & Human Companies (HHS) seems to have taken down a webpage from the Workplace of the Surgeon Normal (OSG) that included an advisory on gun violence.
In June 2024, then-U.S. Surgeon Normal Vivek Murthy issued an advisory declaring gun violence to be a public well being disaster in America, calling for an evidence-based method to public well being change in addition to a ban on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines for civilian use.
“Firearm violence is an pressing public well being disaster that has led to lack of life, unimaginable ache, and profound grief for a lot too many Individuals,” Murthy mentioned in an announcement on the time.
The OSG issued a press launch on the time displaying that no less than 10 nationwide medical organizations — together with the American Medical Affiliation, American Academy of Pediatrics, American School of Surgeons, American Public Well being Affiliation and the YWCA — wrote statements in assist of the advisory.
Nevertheless, the webpage where the advisory existed at the moment shows a “Web page Not Discovered” message.
Dr. Vivek H. Murthy speaks onstage at The Archewell Basis’s “Mother and father’ Summit: Psychological Wellness in a Digital Age” at Hudson Yards, Oct. 10, 2023, in New York.
Bryan Bedder/Getty Pictures
“We’re sorry, however there isn’t any www.hhs.gov web page that matches your entry. Doable causes: The web page might have been moved, it not exists, or the deal with might have been typed incorrectly,” the web site states, as of Monday.
The White Home didn’t instantly reply to ABC Information’ request for remark.
In an announcement to ABC Information, the HHS mentioned that the division “and the Workplace of the Surgeon Normal are complying with President Trump’s Government Order on Defending Second Modification Rights.”
Final month, President Donald Trump issued an executive order, directing the Lawyer Normal to overview “[a]ll Presidential and businesses’ actions from January 2021 by way of January 2025 that purport to advertise security however might have impinged on the Second Modification rights of law-abiding residents.”
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has beforehand acknowledged he believes within the Second Modification however that he wants to determine the cause of mass shootings.
In a 2023 stay stream on X with Elon Musk, Kennedy falsely claimed there may be “great circumstantial proof” that individuals utilizing antidepressants had been extra more likely to commit college shootings. Consultants previously told ABC News there isn’t any proof to counsel that sufferers with psychological well being issues, or those that are on medicines for issues, usually tend to be violent.
Firearm-related accidents are the main reason for loss of life within the U.S. amongst children and youths. Gun-related suicides have risen amongst all age teams from 2012 to 2022; the best rise has been amongst 10–14-year-olds, in keeping with Murhty’s advisory.
Gun violence prevention applications, comparable to GIFFORDS — which was based by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords — criticized the Trump administration for the removing of the advisory.
“By eradicating this necessary public well being advisory with lifesaving sources, President Trump has chosen to prioritize gun trade earnings over defending children and households,” Emma Brown, government director of GIFFORDS, mentioned in a statement. “Weapons have been the primary killer of American youngsters and adolescents since 2020, and non-partisan well being care consultants have understood gun violence as a public well being disaster for years.”
ABC Information’ Medical Unit’s Dr. Jade Cobern contributed to this report.
