Citation

Leshner AI, Dzau VJ. Science 2018; 359(6381): 1195.

Affiliation

U.S. National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine), Washington, DC, USA. vdzau@nas.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, American Association for the Advancement of Science)

DOI

10.1126/science.aat5127

PMID

29590052

Abstract

The tragic shooting at a school in Parkland, Florida, last month triggered another round of proposals from local, state, and federal policymakers about controlling firearm-related violence without violating broad interpretations of the rights to keep and bear arms provided by the U.S. Constitution. Unfortunately, there is only very sparse scientific evidence that can help figure out which policies will be effective. Earlier this month, the RAND Corporation released a comprehensive analysis on gun policy in the United States, and among its conclusions is that too few policies and outcomes have been the subject of rigorous scientific investigation. Even the seemingly popular view that violent crime would be reduced by laws prohibiting the purchase or possession of guns by individuals with mental illness was deemed to have only moderate supporting evidence. If the nation is serious about getting firearm-related violence under control, it must rise above its aversion to providing financial support for firearm-related research, and the scientific community will have to expeditiously carry out the needed research.

Language: en