Citation of prominent surgeon general nominee before Senate committee
Dr. Casey Means, a significant figure in the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, is testifying before a Senate committee today as part of her bid to become the United States’ next surgeon general, reports BritPanorama.
A bestselling author and wellness influencer, Means is a Stanford medical graduate and an early supporter of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign. Alongside her brother Calley, who serves as an adviser to Kennedy at the Health and Human Services department, Means advocates for healthy eating, limited reliance on pharmaceutical interventions, and alternative remedies.
Initially appointed by President Donald Trump as surgeon general in May 2024, Means was selected on the same day the White House withdrew its nomination of Dr. Janette Nesheiwat. However, her nomination faced scrutiny due to her lack of clinical experience; Means had exited her medical residency and allowed her medical license to lapse. In her 2024 book, “Good Energy,” she expressed disillusionment with the medical system and its prevailing incentives.
Means was originally scheduled to appear before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee in October 2024 but went into labor shortly before the hearing. Now, amid challenges confronting the administration’s health agenda, she takes the stand at a critical juncture. The current measles outbreak, already the largest since the US declared the disease eliminated, is on track to approach 1,000 cases. Questions persist regarding the administration’s vaccine policies following a series of high-profile departures within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Republican senators, including Bill Cassidy, chairman of the health committee, have pressured the administration to restrict access to abortion pills, while MAHA proponents oppose Trump’s executive order that benefits pesticide manufacturers.
Although the surgeon general has no definitive policy influence, the role often involves guiding national health discussions and fostering public support for policy reforms. Historically, past surgeons general have played pivotal roles in public health movements, such as advocating for cigarette warning labels.
Means has called for “unbiased research” into childhood vaccine protocols and has raised concerns about administering a hepatitis B vaccine shortly after birth. Her statements resonate with the sentiments expressed by Kennedy and others in the administration, although no scientific evidence substantiates a connection between the childhood vaccine schedule and autism diagnoses.
While she has largely refrained from addressing abortion directly, Means has discussed women’s health topics, notably the use of contraception, remarking that such practices reflect a lost respect for life.
These views have drawn criticism from some public health advocates, including Peter Lurie, president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, who previously stated that Means is not qualified for the surgeon general position. As support for the MAHA initiative grows, Means will also likely be aligned with calls for stringent regulatory measures against pesticides like glyphosate, commonly known as Roundup.
In her remarks, Means has equated the pervasive usage of pesticides with the adverse effects she associates with long-term contraceptive use. “You’ve got the pill, and it just goes hand in hand with the rise … of industrial agriculture, the spraying of these pesticides,” she commented on Tucker Carlson’s show. “The things that give life in this world, which are women and soil, we have tried to dominate and shut down the cycles.”
