Straight Talk About Gun Safety Is Needed At Every Age

A New England Journal of Medicine commentary urges doctors to discuss firearm safety during home safety and annual wellness visits for patients of all ages, including older adults. The piece highlights that an average of 21 adults aged 65 and over die from firearm-related injuries each day in the U.S., with more than 90% from suicide. The author also reflects on past efforts to talk about gun violence publicly, recalling opposition from NRA members at a 1999 Colorado Springs forum and later controversy over suppressing firearm injury prevention research after the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting. The core argument: conversations about safe storage could reduce fatal and nonfatal shootings.