Wellness Influencer Casey Means Confronts Senate Panel Over Surgeon General Nomination
Casey Means, Donald Trump's controversial nominee for surgeon general of the United States, faced a rigorous grilling before the Senate committee for health, labor, and pensions on Wednesday. This hearing followed a postponement in October when Means went into labor just hours before her scheduled testimony. Critics have raised alarms over her qualifications, as she does not hold an active medical license and has aligned herself with Robert F Kennedy Jr.'s stance on vaccines.
Background and Professional Credentials Under Fire
Means, a Stanford School of Medicine graduate, did not complete her surgical residency at Oregon Health and Science University and is not board-certified. Her career has primarily centered on wellness influencing and leadership within the Make America Healthy Again (Maha) movement, a key component of the Trump administration's health policy under Kennedy. She has publicly expressed disillusionment with traditional healthcare, arguing it overly focuses on diagnoses and prescriptions rather than diet and lifestyle interventions.
In 2024, Means co-authored the book Good Energy with her brother Calley Means, an entrepreneur and close adviser to Kennedy. The book promotes metabolic health as a solution to chronic illness, a perspective some critics label as pseudoscience. Means also co-founded Levels, a health tracking company that emphasizes continuous glucose monitoring to provide real-time data on symptoms.
Vaccine Stance and Political Alignment
While Means has been cautious in directly questioning vaccine efficacy, she shares Kennedy's skepticism about the number of vaccines recommended for children. On her website, she criticized the pharmaceutical industry's influence, noting concerns over legal immunity and compliance pressures. Earlier this year, the Trump administration reduced routine childhood vaccine recommendations from 17 to 11 jabs, a move public health experts warn could undermine trust and increase disease spread.
Backlash from the Scientific Community
Means's nomination has sparked significant backlash. Former surgeon general Richard Carmona, who served under George W. Bush, called the nomination a "disgrace," citing her lack of public health experience and scalable leadership. He expressed muted optimism that lawmakers would challenge her credentials, emphasizing the need for science over ideology in public health leadership.
Senate Hearing Dynamics and Political Context
At the hearing, attention focused on Republican senator Bill Cassidy, chair of the committee, who previously cast the deciding vote to confirm Kennedy as health secretary despite concerns over anti-vaccine views. Kennedy had assured Cassidy he would not interfere with the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices but later overhauled the Department of Health and Human Services, leading to chaos, grant terminations, and staff departures. Recent turnover at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including the ousting of director Susan Monarez, has further highlighted instability under Kennedy's leadership.
Means is Trump's second nominee for surgeon general, following the withdrawal of Dr. Janette Nesheiwat amid credential controversies. She must now convince senators that her limited experience is sufficient for the role, as the nation grapples with misinformation and public health challenges.
