WASHINGTON, Feb 25 - Casey Means, the 38-year-old nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as U.S. surgeon general and a close ally of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is scheduled to appear on Wednesday before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee for a confirmation hearing that has been delayed since October.
The hearing had been set for October but was rescheduled after Means went into labor at 40 weeks of pregnancy. If confirmed, Means would assume the duties of the nation’s doctor, providing guidance to Americans on evidence-based practices intended to reduce the risk of illness and injury.
Means and her brother, Calley Means - who serves as a Trump administration adviser on food policy - are described as close allies of Kennedy and as vocal supporters of his "Make America Healthy Again" initiative. The nominee’s ties to administration policy figures and family links to food policy advising have been highlighted in materials surrounding the nomination process.
This nomination marks President Trump’s second selection for the surgeon general post after his initial nominee, Janette Nesheiwat, withdrew in May. Means’ candidacy has encountered opposition from various quarters, including far-right activists such as Laura Loomer and some establishment voices who have raised concerns about her views on certain health topics.
Critics have pointed to several public positions and statements by Means. Among these are her advocacy for the consumption of raw milk, her repeated amplification of claims by Kennedy that link vaccines to autism - claims that have been described in the record as unscientific - and her criticism of the use of birth control pills.
In prepared testimony filed in October, Means, identified as both a medical doctor and a wellness influencer, said she has treated thousands of patients over 15 years across clinic settings, operating rooms, and in her private practice. As of the time immediately before the scheduled Wednesday session, no updated testimony had been posted on the committee’s website.
Means graduated from Stanford University School of Medicine but left her surgical residency before its completion. Her Oregon medical license is listed as "inactive," a status she has described as voluntary because she is not currently practicing medicine.
She is a co-founder of Levels, a health-tech app, and holds shares in Truemed, a business owned by her brother that assists patients in obtaining tax advantages for advanced health treatments. In filings with the Office of Government Ethics, Means has pledged to resign from Levels and to divest her financial interests in both companies if she is confirmed as surgeon general.
At an FDA event on Tuesday, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. praised Means, saying she has "an extraordinary capacity to communicate to the American public" and expressed his belief that she would be confirmed. "We’ve been waiting for a long time for Dr. Means to come on board," he said.
Context for markets and policy observers
- The confirmation process touches on federal health leadership and could influence public health messaging and regulatory focus.
- Connections to food policy and health-tech entrepreneurship link the nomination to sectors including health care, food policy regulation, and health technology.