A safer America will require bold investment in discovering, implementing, and scaling solutions that reduce firearm harms—especially those that center the people and communities most affected. That was the clear message from the JAMA Summit on Firearm Violence, which convened 60 leaders from across the nation to chart a roadmap toward reducing firearm violence, injuries, and deaths in the United States to record lows by 2040. The full report findings of the 2025 Summit are published in JAMA this month.
Over two days, experts from public health, medicine, law, economics, and industry participated in sessions focused on:
Achieving the safest world possible by 2040
Cutting-edge, locally initiated gun violence prevention strategies
Innovations in firearms, ammunition, community safety tech
Advances in market-ready firearm safety technology
Changing fundamental structures that lead to gun violence in the first place
The Summit outlined five essential actions for the next five years to achieve this vision:
Focusing on local communities and transforming conditions that fundamentally drive firearm harms to produce lasting change.
Responsibly harnessing firearm technology in ways that resonate with consumers and reduce rather than exacerbate risk.
Changing the national narrative on firearm harms to build broad support for evidence-based solutions that bring people together over the problem, not polarize them.
Adopt a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, engaging multiple, sometimes seemingly unrelated sectors, in coordinated efforts.
Spark a research revolution to accelerate discovery and implementation of proven, practical interventions.
“Firearm-related injuries remain one of the most pressing public health crises in the U.S.,” said Charles Branas, PhD, chair of the Department of Epidemiology at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and a co-author of the JAMA study. “Gun violence is not something that happens to ‘other people’ in ‘other places’; it is an American problem that touches all of us—through grief, fear, and lost opportunity. Gun violence is everyone’s problem. We won’t break this cycle by doing the same things and expecting different results.”
Gun violence is a shared American problem that reaches both small towns and big cities. From 2001–2020, overall firearm death rates were higher in the most rural counties—driven by suicides—while urban areas continued to shoulder disproportionate homicides, a dual reality that demands new ideas and programs tested and scaled with communities.
“The Summit’s vision for 2040 is a country where firearm violence is substantially reduced and all communities feel safe from firearm harms,” said Branas, who was on the JAMA Summit steering committee. “We need new ideas and new programs—innovations that prevent shootings before they occur, support people and places at highest risk, and address the upstream conditions that fuel gun violence. With science, accountability, and community leadership, we can make safety a lasting reality.”
Community violence intervention programs must be supported with sustainable funding, professional training, and integration into healthcare and city systems. Reimagining systems of response to gun violence and community care was identified as key.
The Summit also highlighted the potential and challenges of rapidly emerging gun safety technologies. From AI-driven tools to smart firearm designs, new technology must be pursued and guided by ethical choices and transparency. “We must engage gun owners, providers, responders, and prevention specialists to ensure we make the most of new technologies that could have a transformative effect on our gun violence problem.” noted Branas.
Real progress will come from bold, systems-level interventions that prioritize the well-being of people and neighborhoods. Evidence shows that environmental improvements—such as greening vacant lots, repairing abandoned buildings, and enhancing street lighting—can significantly reduce firearm assaults, especially in low-income areas.
“Prior studies published in JAMA found that greening vacant lots, remediating abandoned buildings, and improving street lighting can meaningfully reduce firearm violence and improve mental health,” said Branas. “Randomized controlled trials have found that addressing fundamental problems like this significantly reduces firearm violence and keeps it down for local communities.”
About the JAMA Summit on Firearm Violence
The JAMA Summit on Firearm Violence convenes leaders in science, medicine, policy, and community action to advance innovation and accelerate progress toward a safer America. The 2025 Summit outcomes are published in JAMA, presenting a comprehensive roadmap for reducing firearm harms by 2040.
Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
Founded in 1922, the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health pursues an agenda of research, education, and service to address the critical and complex public health issues affecting New Yorkers, the nation and the world. The Columbia Mailman School is the third largest recipient of NIH grants among schools of public health. Its nearly 300 multi-disciplinary faculty members work in more than 100 countries around the world, addressing such issues as preventing infectious and chronic diseases, environmental health, maternal and child health, health policy, climate change and health, and public health preparedness. It is a leader in public health education with more than 1,300 graduate students from 55 nations pursuing a variety of master’s and doctoral degree programs. The Columbia Mailman School is also home to numerous world-renowned research centers, including ICAP and the Center for Infection and Immunity. For more information, please visit www.mailman.columbia.edu.
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