I'm a gun guy and even I think this is bullshit!

[The Grand Nudger]

IKR...it's become such a useful political button that nutballs on both sides of the debate have driven the entire car over a cliff with all clowns aboard, creating a problem where once there was none...and making us look like buffoons in the process.

[KUSA]

I don't mind if a doctor gives general safety recommendations that include knives, guns, clubs, and so on and so forth.

When the doctor asks me if I own firearms, I tell them that it is none of their goddamned business. I have had this happen a couple of times. Just out of the blue for no apparent reason, the question came up.

[paulpablo]

This blows my mind on two levels.

1)  I don't get why guns are a medical issue.  In most instances I can't imagine why a doctor would ask about anyone's guns.  Guns are dangerous but doctors aren't there to give firearms advice.  Vehicles are dangerous but as far as I know but doctors don't question you randomly about your driving skills, what vehicle you drive and so on, generally.

2) I can think of a few instances in which a doctor might be curious about if a patient had guns or not, for example doctors sometimes ask you if you drive when they give you heavy medication that might prevent you driving.  In some cases they don't ask if you drive, they just say don't drive if you take this medication. 

This seems to me to be a problem that's just escalated and got out of hand maybe some doctors asked too many prying questions about guns that they shouldn't have then the backlash is a law that prevents any questions about guns.

I don't know for sure if that is the case but I've been asked questions about my religion and about my friends by a doctor before who suggested I go out and get rid of my old friends and try and find some Christian friends and organizations to help me when I went in there with a problem with an irregular heart beat.  It is possible for a doctor to use their position to give out opinions on things they shouldn't do so maybe this was the case in America with guns.
But anyway in conclusion I don't think doctors should be focused on asking prying questions about guns, on the other hand there's some situations where a doctor might be a bit curious about the persons gun ownership and should be allowed to ask.

I think a doctor may ask you about operating a motor vehicle if he is an eye doctor or mental health professional. If the doctor is a mental health professional I think it should not only be legal to ask if the patient has any deadly weapons, but also ethical.

I just found out that doctors are obliged to inform the DVLA if drivers are not medically fit to drive, I don't know how a doctor would find out if a patient does drive or not.  Looking at it from this perspective then I think doctors should basically treat guns the same as cars, I don't know how they go about finding if their patients are gun owners or car owners though.

[The Grand Nudger]

They don't have to..they are required to notify the state if they've declared someone unfit...and it is then the -states- duty to proceed from there. Removing their access to firearms is handled at that level, or rather it can and should be, but mostly isn't.

[Gawdzilla]

In this country, if you're deemed to be a danger to yourself, you may lose your belt and shoe laces and be given a room with padding .. but they'd damn well better not take your guns!

My Y-donor had full-tilt Alzheimer's, but this didn't stop the local gun shops from selling him guns. This was the guy who went to town wearing just his underwear more than once.

[The Grand Nudger]

Call the county sheriff and bring a statement of diagnosis.  They'll confiscate the firearms for destruction. If the gun shop -knowingly- sold him firearms in spite of his dementia (and this can be proven), the sheriff will call the ATF. They'll scrutinize his permit....they might assess fines, pull it entirely, or..if they dredge up other violations, he could be looking at felony charges.

[Mr.wizard]

I think a doctor may ask you about operating a motor vehicle if he is an eye doctor or mental health professional. If the doctor is a mental health professional I think it should not only be legal to ask if the patient has any deadly weapons, but also ethical.

I just found out that doctors are obliged to inform the DVLA if drivers are not medically fit to drive, I don't know how a doctor would find out if a patient does drive or not.  Looking at it from this perspective then I think doctors should basically treat guns the same as cars, I don't know how they go about finding if their patients are gun owners or car owners though.

I guess all they can do is ask, I think you should have to pass a mental evaluation before being able to own a gun.

[The Grand Nudger]

The people who've committed the worst crimes will pass those tests, just as they pass the federal background - which does look for mental health diagnosis.  That' another part of the fiction.  The crazy gunman.  It's rare to begin with, and they're always much less than crazy, when we investigate. Might catch a few suicides, though....course they'll probably just swallow a handful of pills if they can't get that pistol they wanted after being pronounced unfit. If we needed a clean bill of mental health to buy someone would mill them out for the consumer. They'd probably put up a kiosk in the walmart to make the sale easier.....like they already do for the backgrounds.

[brewer]

Why would a Dr ask about guns?

New diagnosis of serious illness, not necessarily terminal.
Diagnosis of mental disorder (depression, schizophrenia, personality disorder, dementia, PTSD, insomnia ............).
Diagnosis of traumatic brain injury.
Diagnosis of epilepsy.
Diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.
Children in the house.
Signs/symptoms of physical/mental abuse.
Diagnosis of motor neuron disorder.
Treatment with medication that can cause mental disorder side effects. i.e. Chantix,
Diagnosis of addictive disorders.
Diagnosis of coagulation disorder.
Diagnosis of arthritis.
Diagnosis of spine trauma.

Why should a doctor be barred from asking any more than any other person?

[Mr.wizard]

The people who've committed the worst crimes will pass those tests, just as they pass the federal background - which does look for mental health diagnosis.  That' another part of the fiction.  The crazy gunman.  It's rare to begin with, and they're always much less than crazy, when we investigate.  Might catch a few suicides, though....course they'll probably just swallow a handful of pills if they can't get that pistol they wanted after being pronounced unfit.  If we needed a clean bill of mental health to buy someone would mill them out for the consumer.  They'd probably put up a kiosk in the walmart to make the sale easier.....like they already do for the backgrounds.

Ya I agree it won't stop gun violence but I think taking steps to make sure mentally ill, dangerous people aren't able to buy firearms, is a good thing.