Casey Means Faces Scrutiny in Surgeon General Hearing

Dr. Casey Means, President Donald Trump's nominee for surgeon general, faced pointed questions from senators during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Wednesday, as she outlined her vision for shifting the nation's health system toward prevention and addressing chronic diseases at their roots.

Means, a Stanford Medical School graduate who left her residency program and does not hold an active medical license, described the current approach to health care as "whack-a-mole medicine" that treats symptoms rather than underlying causes. She emphasized promoting whole, unprocessed foods and lifestyle changes to combat what she views as widespread metabolic dysfunction driving epidemics of conditions like diabetes, obesity, cancer and mental illnesses. "The majority of the diseases that are plaguing our country are chronic illnesses based on lifestyle and dietary decisions," Means said in prior public statements, echoing themes from her 2024 book, "Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health," co-authored with her brother Calley Means, a White House health adviser.