Scientific publications on firearms in youth before and after Congressional action prohibiting federal research funding.

Scientific Publications on Firearms in Youth Before andAfter Congressional Action Prohibiting Federal Research Funding In January1996,Congresspassedanappropriationsbill amendment prohibiting the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) fromusing“fundsmadeavailable for injuryprevention . . . toadvocateorpromoteguncontrol.”1Thisprovision was triggered by evidence linking gun ownership to health harms,1 createduncertaintyamongCDCofficials and researchers about what could be studied,2 and led to significant declines in funding.3 We evaluated the change in the number of publications on firearms in youth comparedwith research on other leading causes of death before and after the Congressional action. We focused on children and adolescents because they disproportionately experience gun violence and injury.4