Dr. Casey Means, President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. surgeon general, faced pointed questions Wednesday from senators over vaccines, birth control and potential financial conflicts during a confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
Means, a wellness entrepreneur and author, praised Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and aligned herself with his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, emphasizing nutrition, chronic disease prevention and environmental health. But she repeatedly sidestepped direct answers on vaccine policy, drawing scrutiny from Democrats and some Republicans.
In exchanges with committee chairman Bill Cassidy, Means acknowledged that vaccines save lives, yet stopped short of explicitly urging parents to immunize their children against measles or influenza. Instead, she framed vaccination as a matter of informed consent between doctors and patients.
Pressed by Sen. Tim Kaine on Kennedy’s past claims questioning flu vaccine effectiveness, Means ultimately conceded that, at the population level, the flu shot reduces the risk of serious illness and hospitalization. When asked by Sen. Bernie Sanders about the debunked link between vaccines and autism, she said she accepts existing evidence rejecting a connection, while adding that scientific inquiry is ongoing and voicing support for broader investigations into environmental contributors to autism.
Her answers reflected a careful balancing act: affirming established research in general terms while declining to directly rebuke controversial statements made by Kennedy and his allies.
Means was also questioned about her past comments raising concerns about the childhood vaccine schedule, her endorsement of raw milk and her skepticism about hormonal birth control. In response to Cassidy, she said oral contraceptives should remain widely accessible but stressed the importance of individualized discussions about risks and benefits rather than endorsing over-the-counter availability outright.
Beyond vaccines, senators scrutinized her qualifications and financial ties. Means graduated from Stanford Medical School but left a surgical residency program and does not currently hold an active medical license. She said she does not plan to reactivate it if confirmed. Critics, including leaders in the public health community, have argued she lacks the clinical and administrative experience of previous Surgeons General.
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy pressed her on allegations that she failed to disclose financial relationships tied to products she promoted through her company, Levels, which markets continuous glucose monitoring and supplements. Means denied wrongdoing and pledged to divest from her business interests if confirmed.
The hearing lasted more than two hours and concluded without a committee vote. If confirmed, Means would oversee the U.S. Public Health Service and serve as the federal government’s leading public health spokesperson at a time of ongoing debate over vaccines, chronic disease and the role of federal health agencies.
Source: NPR