Chicago - The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) joins the Florida Pediatric Society and other physicians and medical professionals in expressing deep concern over the advancement of Florida Senate Bill 432 and House Bill 155, legislation which would restrict pediatricians' ability to ask patients and parents simple counseling questions about gun safety without fear of sanctions from the state medical board.
The bills, if enacted, would limit pediatricians' capacity to do what they do best - compassionately and effectively care for children.
Because unintentional injuries continue to be the leading cause of death in children older than 1 year, pediatricians play a key role in injury prevention by providing anticipatory guidance to parents during office visits to help minimize the risk of injury in the child's everyday environment. During these visits, several aspects of the patient's home are discussed, including swimming pools, hazardous chemicals, smoke detectors, medications, and firearms. These conversations help pediatricians and other physicians partner with parents to keep their children safe.
In addition, pediatricians are very often the first medical professionals to identify children, teenagers, and young adults with depression, other mental health issues and those vulnerable to abuse. The presence of a firearm in a home increases the risk of suicide even among those without a previous psychiatric diagnosis. The increased risk of suicide is particularly striking for younger people where guns are stored loaded and/or unlocked.
The patient-physician relationship is a confidential one. "If the government begins to restrict the trust and confidentiality between a physician, a patient, andr childrenpatient's parents, then the health and well-being of patients is placed in jeopardy. Tragedies that could have been prevented by a simple conversation will, instead, occur," said AAP President O. Marion Burton, MD, FAAP.
The AAP calls on Florida's lawmakers to reject this legislation and to keep children safe by maintaining a strong physician-patient-family relationship.
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.
