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Dr. Casey Means, nominated for the prestigious position of Surgeon General, is well-known as a wellness influencer, entrepreneur, and author. She gained significant recognition last year with the release of her bestselling book, Good Energy, which focuses on diet and metabolic health. This book was co-authored with her brother, Calley Means, who serves as a special government employee in the Trump administration and is a close advisor to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Notably, Dr. Means did not complete her surgical residency and currently holds no active medical license— a significant departure from the qualifications typically associated with the role of Surgeon General. Instead, she runs a company that advocates for the use of continuous glucose monitors and has made headlines by describing America as being in a spiritual crisis. Furthermore, she has expressed skepticism regarding the childhood vaccine schedule, the use of birth control, and has criticized perceived corruption within the FDA.
The Surgeon General is recognized as the nation's top doctor, leading over 6,000 members of the U.S. Public Health Service, which includes physicians, nurses, and scientists across various federal agencies. This role within the Department of Health and Human Services involves issuing public health advisories and reports, aimed at informing the public about health-related issues.
It has been over five months since Trump announced Dr. Casey Means as his nominee, replacing his initial choice, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat. Unusually, Dr. Means will participate in the senate hearing remotely. The Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, responsible for the hearing, has not disclosed the reasons for her virtual attendance. Her brother, Calley Means, mentioned in May that she is expecting a child, which may also influence her participation.
Senators are anticipated to pose challenging questions regarding her qualifications and potential conflicts of interest. Ahead of the hearing, Dr. Means disclosed her commitment to resign from her continuous glucose monitor company if confirmed. Additionally, she revealed her financial ties to the supplement industry, from which she has pledged to divest.
At 38 years old, Dr. Means is a graduate of Stanford Medical School. Although she completed most of her residency training in head and neck surgery, she left before finishing. She later transitioned to functional medicine, a field focused on uncovering the root causes of illness, often incorporating lifestyle changes and alternative medicine approaches that may not always be grounded in robust evidence. Dr. Means briefly operated a functional medical practice in Oregon but did not achieve board certification, and her Oregon medical license is currently inactive.
Dr. Means has significantly raised her public profile through social media and her book, Good Energy. She has made appearances on popular wellness podcasts alongside her brother, Calley. Her advocacy often resonates with the views of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his allies in the Make America Healthy Again movement, especially concerning the alarming rates of chronic illnesses in the United States. “What we are dealing with here is so much more than a physical health crisis — this is a spiritual crisis,” she stated during a congressional roundtable last year.
Dr. Means frequently discusses issues surrounding the U.S. food supply and environmental toxins, while also criticizing the pharmaceutical industry. Kennedy has publicly praised her, proclaiming that she will be “the greatest surgeon general ever.”
Despite her supporters, Dr. Means faces considerable opposition from medical and public health experts. Critics highlight her lack of traditional leadership or clinical experience, which has historically been a prerequisite for the role of Surgeon General. Concerns have been raised regarding her views on the childhood vaccine schedule, hormonal birth control, and her endorsement of raw milk, mirroring some of Kennedy's own perspectives.
Dr. Jerome Adams, who served as Surgeon General during the first Trump administration, expressed his disapproval in a statement to NPR, saying, “The Senate’s likely confirmation of Casey Means as Surgeon General, an individual who never completed medical training, would mark a disastrous precedent for the nation’s top public health role.” He emphasized that numerous qualified candidates exist—fully trained and licensed physicians who prioritize prevention and wellness.
Concerns have also emerged from some of Kennedy’s supporters within the MAHA movement, who fear that Dr. Means may not be sufficiently critical of vaccines or align with other movement priorities. Nevertheless, the scheduling of the hearing suggests that the Trump administration remains optimistic about her confirmation, especially considering the withdrawal of previous health official nominations has typically occurred prior to hearings.
