Dr. Casey Means, nominee for surgeon basic, testifies throughout a affirmation listening to Wednesday earlier than the Senate Well being, Schooling, Labor and Pensions Committee.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP through Getty Photos
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Brendan Smialowski/AFP through Getty Photos
President Trump’s surgeon basic nominee Dr. Casey Means testified earlier than Senate committee on Wednesday in her bid to be confirmed because the nation’s prime physician.
The listening to was a very long time coming for Means — a wellness influencer, entrepreneur and writer — who needed to delay the affirmation listening to in late October as a result of she was pregnant and went into labor.
Throughout her testimony, Means praised Well being Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s management and echoed most of the speaking factors of his “Make America Wholesome Once more” agenda, whereas sidestepping pointed questions in regards to the administration’s controversial actions on vaccines and different points.
In a backwards and forwards between Means and Republican Sen. Invoice Cassidy, chairman of the Senate Well being, Schooling, Labor and Pensions Committee, she mentioned that she believes “vaccines save lives,” however stopped in need of encouraging moms to have their youngsters vaccinated towards measles and flu. She mentioned that it’s a matter for dialog and knowledgeable consent between medical doctors and sufferers.
Later when pressed by Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, on whether or not she disagreed with Kennedy’s statements that there is a lack of proof on the efficacy of the flu vaccine, Means ultimately agreed that on the “inhabitants degree” the shot does decrease the chance of damage or hospitalization.
She took an identical tack when requested in regards to the debunked hyperlink between autism and vaccines, which has been promoted by Kennedy and plenty of of his allies.
“I do settle for that proof. I additionally suppose that science has by no means settled,” Means mentioned in response to a line of questioning from Sen. Bernie Sanders, an impartial from Vermont. Means mentioned that she supported Kennedy’s present effort to have a look at “all environmental elements that might be contributing to autism.” She added, “Vaccines aren’t a part of my core message.”
In podcast appearances and on-line, Means has expressed considerations in regards to the security of the childhood vaccine schedule and questioned hormonal contraception. She has additionally endorsed uncooked milk, as has Kennedy.
“I completely suppose that oral contraception needs to be broadly accessible,” she mentioned in response to a query about contraception tablets from Cassidy, a doctor, who requested partially if they need to be made obtainable and not using a prescription. “I consider particularly in the case of oral contraceptives we have to have sufferers having a dialog with their physician about dangers and advantages,” she mentioned in the course of the listening to.
Means has grown her public profile in the previous few years, primarily by a e-book on weight-reduction plan and well being, known as Good Vitalityand appearances on high-profile podcasts. She’s usually joined by her brother and coauthor Calley Means, who served as an adviser to Well being Secretary Kennedy.
Her nomination has confronted appreciable pushback from the medical and public well being institution, partially as a result of she lacks the scientific expertise of previous surgeons basic.
“She is much less certified professionally than another surgeon basic in historical past. There is no query about that,” says Dr. Georges Benjamin, CEO of the American Public Well being Affiliation.
Means graduated from Stanford Medical College, however dropped out of surgical coaching to grow to be a head and neck surgeon. She went on to open a practical medication follow in Oregon, although she stopped seeing sufferers a couple of years in the past and would not at the moment have an lively medical license.
On the listening to, she mentioned she has no plans to reactivate her license, if confirmed.
Her focus has been on diet, the nation’s excessive price of persistent ailments and the failure of the medical system to deal with “root causes” of poor well being. Much like Kennedy, she factors to the harms of ultra-processed meals, environmental toxins, poor life-style and the overuse of prescription drugs, amongst different culprits.
“Each American shares a core craving to thrive and assist their households thrive, however we’re asking individuals to make wholesome decisions in environments which can be squarely structured towards them,” she mentioned in her opening assertion to the committee.
“Our our bodies are telling us this present path is completely unsustainable. There may be one other manner, a path that unites rigorous science with reverence for our miraculous our bodies and planet,” she added.
Alongside her e-book, Means runs an organization, known as Ranges, that promotes the usage of steady glucose screens and likewise sells varied dietary supplements and wellness merchandise on her web site.
Means has agreed to divest from her corporations if confirmed as surgeon basic. Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut grilled her on a pending criticism that she violated FTC guidelines by failing to reveal monetary relationships to merchandise she’s promoted.
“This appears systemic,” mentioned Murphy. “It appears that evidently within the majority of situations through which you have been, as a medical skilled, recommending a product, you have been hiding the truth that you had a monetary partnership.”
Means mentioned the assertions have been false and that she’d comply with up together with his employees.
Referred to as the nation’s prime physician, the surgeon basic leads the greater than 6,000 members of the U.S. Public Well being Service, which embody physicians, nurses and scientists working at varied federal businesses.
The surgeon basic serves within the Division of Well being and Human Companies and points public advisories and studies to convey well being data to the general public.
The committee listening to concluded after greater than two hours of testimony and not using a vote.
