Revealed: CDC removes self-defense gun use stats after private meeting with gun control advocates

TALAHASSEE, FL- In the domain of gun policy and public health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hold a pivotal role, tasked with informing evidence-based decision-making.

However, recent revelations have brought to light the CDC's deliberate suppression of data concerning defensive gun use (DGU), raising concerns about transparency and the potential politicization of research.

The CDC's purview encompasses the study of factors contributing to injury and mortality, including incidents involving firearms.

Over the years, the agency has commissioned research aimed at shedding light on various aspects of gun violence, seeking to inform prevention strategies and public health interventions.

Despite its comprehensive approach, recent events have cast a shadow on the CDC's handling of DGU data, unveiling patterns of concealment and censorship.

Notably, the CDC opted to omit references to defensive gun use statistics from its public materials, despite commissioning a study by The National Academies' Institute of Medicine and National Research Council that acknowledged DGUs as a "common occurrence."

This decision drew scrutiny after evidence emerged of pressure from gun-control advocates to diminish or remove mentions of DGUs.

Correspondence obtained through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests uncovered a lobbying effort aimed at influencing the CDC's messaging on defensive gun use.

Notable individuals involved in this effort included Mark Bryant, who manages the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), Devin Hughes, the founder of GVPedia, and Po Murray, who facilitated discussions.

These advocates, supported by introductions from the White House and Senator Dick Durbin’s office, engaged with top CDC officials to challenge the depiction of studies estimating DGUs, ranging from 60,000 to 2.5 million occurrences annually in the United States.

Mark Bryant, among the vocal attendees, firmly criticized the 2.5 million figure, advocating for its removal as he deemed it misleading and devoid of value.

Bryant bluntly stated in an email to CDC officials following their meeting, "that statistic needs to be killed, buried, dug up, killed again and buried again. It is highly misleading, used out of context, and holds zero value even as an outlier in honest discussions surrounding DGUs."

Despite initial hesitance and an acknowledgment of varied estimates regarding DGUs, CDC officials engaged in discussions with the advocates and ultimately agreed to remove references to DGUs from its publications.

The CDC's compliance with external pressure underscores the delicate balance between scientific inquiry and ideological influence.

By prioritizing political ideals over academic rigor, the agency risks compromising its reputation as an evidence-based research institution and eroding public trust in its findings.

Additionally, the CDC's own research has previously acknowledged the prevalence of DGUs as a "common occurrence," as highlighted in studies conducted by The National Academies' Institute of Medicine and National Research Council.

However, the recent suppression of this data raises concerns about the agency's commitment to transparent and unbiased inquiry.

Gary Kleck, Professor Emeritus at Florida State University’s College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, stands as a notable figure in this debate. His research, spanning decades, has consistently demonstrated a minimum of 760,000 annual incidents of defensive gun use.

Despite attempts to discredit his work, Kleck remains steadfast in his commitment to rigorous methodology and empirical evidence.

In the aftermath of these revelations, critics say there is a pressing need for greater transparency and accountability within the CDC's firearm research efforts.

Gary Kleck emphasized, "CDC is just aligning itself with the gun-control advocacy groups. It’s just saying: ‘we are their tool, and we will do their bidding.’ And that’s not what a government agency should do."