The COVID-19 Pandemic Exposes Another Commercial Determinant of Health: The Global Firearm Industry

Figures & Tables

TABLE.

Initial List of Recommendations for Addressing Firearms as a Commercial Determinant of Health

Element of Commercial Determinant of Health	Relevance to Firearm Industry	Recommended Action or Policy
Lobbying	Influencing gun control and gun safety policies	Laws requiring universal background checks and permit-to-purchase lawsGlobal health organizations (e.g., United Nations-World Health Organization) promoting international conventions
Marketing	Targeted marketing to vulnerable groups such as women and the young	Laws restricting marketing and advertising to vulnerable groupsResearch on optimal pathways for affected groups to impact policy change
Corporate Social Responsibility	Emphasis on safety education, training, responsible firearms ownership programs, shifting focus away from commercial sales¹⁸	Research assessing the negative effects of corporate social responsibility, policies defining corporate social responsibility strategies and implementing regulationsResearch exposing how corporate social responsibility is used by industry to its benefit
Extensive Supply Chains	Large export markets to low- and middle-income countries	Regulating trade and enhancing international export control rules around products harmful to healthResearch on the role of intermediary companies on gun access