• Posted March 19, 2025

Surgeon General’s Gun Violence Advisory Removed From HHS Website

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has removed the 2024 surgeon general’s advisory on gun violence from its website.

A link to the document now displays a “Page Not Found” message.

“HHS and the Office of the Surgeon General are complying with President Trump’s Executive Order on Protecting Second Amendment Rights,” HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon said in an email to CNN.

The advisory, released in June by Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, had called gun violence a public health crisis.

It was the first report of its kind from the nation’s top public health official, urging stronger laws and more research to address this issue.

Gun deaths remain a major concern in the U.S. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 46,728 firearm-related deaths in 2023, just 4% below the record high of 48,830 deaths in 2021.

Former Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams, who served in the first Trump administration, defended gun violence prevention efforts.

“If we care about kids and about making America healthy again, we have to address gun violence. More than half of these deaths were due to suicide, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive public health strategies,” Adams wrote, referencing the phrase often repeated by Trump and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, that they will “make America healthy again," CNN reported.

“I urge policymakers to continue engaging with public health experts, law enforcement, and community leaders to develop evidence-based solutions that prioritize safety and well-being,” Adams continued.

“In particular, we must focus on suicide prevention, supporting veterans, and expanding access to critical resources like the 988 crisis lifeline to ensure that those in distress receive the help they need. I hope that any changes in public health messaging are made with the best interests of the American people in mind.”

Meanwhile, Trump’s nominee for the next surgeon general, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, has not yet been scheduled for a confirmation hearing.

Nesheiwat, a New York-based family physician and former Fox News medical contributor, lost her father in a gun accident when she was a child.

The White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, created during the Biden administration, ceased operations in January. The office had coordinated federal responses to mass shootings and gun-related violence.

Gun safety groups have criticized these moves. Emma Brown, executive director of Giffords, a gun violence prevention organization, said, "by removing this important public health advisory with lifesaving resources, President Trump has chosen to prioritize gun industry profits over protecting kids and families.”

“Guns have been the number one killer of American children and adolescents since 2020, and non-partisan health care experts have understood gun violence as a public health crisis for years.”

More information

The American Public Health Association has more on gun violence.

SOURCE: CNN, March 18, 2025