Dr. Casey Means' Surgeon General Nomination Stalled in Senate

The nomination of Dr. Casey Means to serve as U.S. Surgeon General remains stalled in the Senate more than 10 months after President Donald Trump selected her for the post in May, as Republican senators express ongoing reservations about her medical experience, views on vaccines and alignment with controversial health policies led by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Means, a 38-year-old Stanford-trained physician and wellness advocate, faced intense questioning during her February confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Senators from both parties probed her positions on key public health issues, including childhood vaccinations and the role of lifestyle changes in preventing chronic diseases. Means, who co-authored the book "Good Energy" and promotes functional medicine through social media, emphasized informed consent and personal health choices but stopped short of explicitly endorsing routine vaccines like those for flu, measles and the hepatitis B birth dose. She described the hepatitis B vaccine as important and lifesaving while stressing parental decisions in consultation with doctors.