Surgeon General Nominee Dr. Casey Means Goes into Labor, Postponing Crucial Senate Hearing

The Senate health committee’s highly anticipated hearing for Surgeon General nominee Dr. Casey Means has been postponed. The reason? Dr. Means went into labor, a committee representative confirmed. This was meant to be Dr. Means’s inaugural public appearance since her nomination by President Trump five months ago. If confirmed, she would lead a medical system she has openly criticized for its shortcomings. The Surgeon General, often called “the nation’s doctor,” primarily serves as a powerful voice for public health, influencing discussions through official warnings and reports rather than direct policy-making. However, Dr. Means has already made waves by presenting herself as a disruptor, actively working to reshape public perceptions of health and wellness. Her strong critiques of conventional medicine, she explains, are rooted in her own experiences. After earning her medical degree from Stanford, she left her surgical residency four years in, believing the traditional healthcare system was failing patients. Her goal, she stated, was to delve into the fundamental causes of illness. Since then, Dr. Means has become a vocal advocate and practitioner of “functional medicine,” an approach that investigates the underlying causes of disease. She regularly shares her philosophy on social media and through her popular newsletter. Dr. Means is widely recognized as the co-author of the 2024 bestseller “Good Energy,” written with her brother, Calley Means. Calley has served as a key advisor to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and many of Dr. Means’s public statements echo the core messages of Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative. Her nomination has been met with significant backlash from various political viewpoints. Former Surgeon Generals have publicly doubted her qualifications, questioning whether someone without an active medical practice should hold such a position. In a notable moment this spring, far-right activist Laura Loomer, a close confidante of President Trump, famously dismissed Dr. Means as a “WOO WOO WOMAN.” Despite the criticism, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has staunchly defended her. He asserted on X in May that arguments labeling Dr. Means as unqualified due to her departure from mainstream medicine “completely miss the point of what we are trying to accomplish with MAHA.” He concluded, “Casey is the perfect choice for Surgeon General precisely because she left the traditional medical system — not in spite of it.” In her book “Good Energy,” Dr. Means posits that the rise of chronic illnesses in the U.S. is largely due to factors like our modern food supply, sedentary indoor lifestyles, environmental toxins, and a healthcare system that she believes prioritizes medication over preventive care. A particularly telling chapter title reads, “Trust Yourself, Not Your Doctor.” She argues that American medical practice is overly fragmented, focusing too heavily on specialized fields rather than a comprehensive, holistic view of health. In their book, the Means siblings boldly state, “I deeply respect doctors, but I want to be very clear on something: at every hospital in the United States, many doctors are doing the wrong things, pushing pills and interventions when an ultra-aggressive stance on diet and behavior would do far more for the patient in front of them.” Dr. Means has advocated for lifestyle interventions such as consuming whole foods, increasing physical activity, and prioritizing sleep and sun exposure as potential remedies for a wide array of health problems, including depression, infertility, diabetes, and acne. Additionally, Dr. Means has voiced concerns that Americans are over-medicated and has publicly challenged existing vaccine guidelines. In one of her newsletters, she wrote, “There is growing evidence that the total burden of the current extreme and growing vaccine schedule is causing health declines in vulnerable children.” She has controversially described vaccine mandates as “criminal” and has questioned the necessity of the hepatitis B vaccine for all newborns, calling it an “unnecessary pharmaceutical” for many infants. Her advocacy extends to ultra-processed foods, which she believes are highly addictive and warrant warning labels akin to those on cigarettes. She also frequently draws connections between individual well-being and environmental health, stating in her newsletter, “We are not separate from the Earth; We are Her. Her illness is our illness.” Through her newsletter and extensive social media presence, she has actively promoted various supplements and wellness products. Recent financial disclosures reveal her commitment to cease endorsing such products. She has also committed to resigning from and divesting her shares in Levels, a company she co-founded that offers glucose monitors for blood sugar tracking. This wearable technology aligns with Health Secretary Kennedy’s vision for widespread adoption among Americans. President Trump initially nominated Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, a former Fox News contributor, for Surgeon General, but later withdrew her nomination to select Dr. Means instead. When questioned about his choice, President Trump informed reporters, “Bobby really thought she was great,” referring to his Health Secretary. Trump further clarified, “I don’t know her. I listened to the recommendation of Bobby.”