Doctors post blood-soaked photos after NRA tells them to pipe down over gun restrictions

American doctors have posted blood-soaked photographs on social media after the National Rifle Association told them to "stay in their lane" over gun restrictions. 

The NRA accused "self-important" doctors of "pushing for gun control" and citing articles in the Annals of Internal Medicine in a tweet on November 7, the same day a mass shooting left 12 people dead in California.

In response, hundreds of medical staff tweeted graphic pictures of X-rays and blood-stained operating theatres along with harrowing stories of treating patients with gunshot wounds.

In their post, the NRA attached a link to a commentary on doctors' role in advocating for gun restrictions.

Along with it the organisation wrote: "Someone should tell self-important anti-gun doctors to stay in their lane. Half of the articles in Annals of Internal Medicine are pushing for gun control.

"Most upsetting, however, the medical community seems to have consulted NO ONE but themselves."

Jon Gaddis, an ER medic, shared a picture of a blood-soaked ambulance with the caption: "I'm not a physician, but I work alongside them - and this is #MyLane. If over HALF of the experts in the medical community - using peer-reviewed, empirically evidence-based science in Annals of Internal Medicine - make any kind of claim, you'd better accept it for what it is. 

Stephanie Bonne, a trauma surgeon based in New Jersey, shared an image of an armchair, writing: "Hey @NRA ! Wanna see my lane? Here’s the chair I sit in when I tell parents their kids are dead. How dare you tell me I can’t research evidence based solutions".

Another, Ann O'Rourke, shared an image of her blood-soaked scrubs with the caption: "Hey @NRA when your clothes are soaked in blood and tears, you can come into my lane."

The online campaign was spearheaded by Joseph Sakran, a trauma surgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, and himself a victim of gun violence.

Mr Sakran, who was shot in the throat at the age of 17, is a board member for the Brady Campaign, a non-profit organisation which advocates for gun control.

In response to the NRA's comments he wrote: "I cannot believe the audacity of the @NRA to make such a divisive statement.

"We take care of these patients everyday. Where are you when I’m having to tell all those families their loved one has died."

The surgeon launched a Twitter campaign, creating an account called @ThisIsOurLane, to represent members of the medical community who were outraged at the NRA's comments.

The new account has attracted more than 9,000 followers and describes itself as medical professionals proposing solutions to prevent firearm injury and death.