RFK Jr. ally Casey Means faces Senate for surgeon general confirmation hearing

Casey Means, the nominee for surgeon general under President Trump, is set to testify before the Senate Health Committee on Wednesday. Her qualifications for the prominent health position are expected to come under intense examination. Although Means possesses a medical degree from Stanford University, she notably left her residency program and currently holds no active medical license. Instead, she has carved a niche for herself as a wellness influencer, advocating for 'functional' medicine—a term that lacks a clear definition within the medical community. Means co-founded Levels, a company that promotes extensive health monitoring practices, including the use of continuous glucose monitors for individuals who do not have diabetes or prediabetes, a method that lacks substantial scientific backing. A recent analysis by The Washington Post revealed that Means generated over half a million dollars in income from partnerships with companies that market various health products, including diagnostic tests, herbal remedies, and wellness supplements. She is closely associated with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the anti-vaccine advocate and Health Secretary, and has garnered a significant following among members of Kennedy's Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement. Alongside her brother Calley Means, who is also aligned with Kennedy and previously held a position in the Trump administration, she authored a book viewed as a guiding text for MAHA supporters, titled Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health. The book offers various lifestyle and dietary recommendations, urging readers to steer clear of processed foods, certain oils, and fluoridated water, while also featuring a chapter that encourages skepticism towards conventional medical advice.