WASHINGTON, D.C. — Dr. Casey Means, the wellness entrepreneur and author nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as the next U.S. Surgeon General, appeared before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee today, 25 February 2026, for a high-stakes confirmation hearing that has become a flashpoint for the future of American public health.
The hearing, which was originally scheduled for October 2025, was delayed by several months after Dr. Means went into labour with her first child. Now returning to the political spotlight, the 38-year-old Stanford-trained physician faces intense scrutiny over her medical credentials, her alignment with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and her vocal skepticism of mainstream medical institutions.
A Focus on Chronic Illness
In her opening statement, Dr. Means pivoted away from traditional public health messaging, focusing instead on what she described as a “crisis of chronic illness” and the “metabolic dysfunction” of the American populace. A co-founder of the health-tracking company Levels and a leading voice in the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement, Means argued that the current healthcare system prioritises symptom management over root-cause resolution.
“We must restore wholeness for Americans—physically, mentally, and societally,” Means told the committee. She emphasised the need to redirect research funding toward nutrition and environmental factors, echoing the “MAHA” agenda championed by Secretary Kennedy.
Credentials and Controversy
The hearing has highlighted a sharp divide between Dr. Means’ supporters and her critics. While she graduated from Stanford University School of Medicine in 2014, she is not currently a practicing doctor and does not hold an active medical licence. Critics, including the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), have labelled her “unqualified,” citing her decision to drop out of her surgical residency at Oregon Health & Science University just months before completion to pursue wellness entrepreneurship.
Senators grilled Means on several controversial stances, including:
- Vaccine Skepticism: Her past comments regarding vaccine safety and her close ties to Kennedy, a prominent vaccine critic.
- Mainstream Medicine: Previous statements suggesting that Americans “shouldn’t trust doctors,” which she clarified today as a call for greater patient agency and transparency.
- Women’s Health: Her views on hormonal contraception, which she has previously described as a sign that society has “lost respect” for the natural female body.
The Path Forward
The confirmation of Dr. Means would signal a radical shift in the office of the Surgeon General, moving it away from a focus on infectious disease and traditional preventative medicine toward a platform of holistic health and metabolic intervention. Supporters view her as a necessary disruptor of “Big Pharma” and “Big Food,” while opponents fear her appointment could undermine public trust in established medical science.
The Senate committee is expected to vote on her nomination in the coming weeks. If confirmed, Dr. Means would become one of the most unconventional figures to ever hold the post of the nation’s “top doctor.”