Casey Means’s Surgeon General Bid: A Wellness Twist on Public Health

Dr. Casey Means, a 38‑year‑old wellness star who runs her own health app and books, will appear before the Senate Health Committee to try for the Surgeon General slot. The hearing was pushed back from October after she went into labor on the day of her original appointment. Means says she wants to tackle chronic disease by fixing diet and lifestyle habits, echoing the health department’s new focus on nutrition over vaccine debates. She could give national advisories, promote a plan to strip additives from food, and push healthier school meals. Her vision matches the current administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda. Critics point to gaps in her résumé. She never finished a surgical residency, and her medical license is currently inactive. After leaving Oregon Health & Science University in 2018, she started a functional‑medicine practice that shut down. She also co‑founded a health‑tracking app and has earned hundreds of thousands from selling supplements, teas, probiotics and meal kits. An investigation found she sometimes sold these items without saying she would profit.If confirmed, Means promises to step away from her business ties. She will resign from the app company, sell any stock, stop working for a lab‑service she helped launch, and keep only royalty income from her book. She also says she will avoid any financial interest in companies on the FDA’s prohibited list. Former Surgeon Generals have warned that her qualifications are shaky. Dr. Rich Carmona, who served under President Bush, said her background raised concerns. Dr. Jerome Adams, a former Surgeon General, noted that the role requires an active medical license and a commissioned corps leadership experience. These voices add weight to questions about whether she can lead the public health service. Means is not alone in this race. Her brother, Calley Means, is a senior adviser at the Department of Health and Human Services, pushing the same anti‑ultra‑processed‑food message. The nomination follows the withdrawal of former Fox News medical correspondent Janette Nesheiwat, who faced backlash from presidential allies. The debate over Means’s appointment shows a clash between modern wellness culture and traditional public‑health standards. The Senate will decide whether a popular influencer can replace a seasoned medical officer in guiding the nation’s health.