President Donald Trump’s pick to be the next surgeon general faced tough questioning during her confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill Wednesday. Casey Means, a wellness influencer, drew significant criticism from both sides of the aisle.
Means has never practiced medicine or held a position in government. Given her unusual path to the post, if confirmed by the Senate, some have expressed concerns about her potential influence on public health.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the surgeon general is “charged with protecting and improving the health and safety of the American people.”
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Dr. Omer Awan, a physician and Scripps News medical contributor, said Means lacked the credentials for the role.
“It would be equivalent to looking at an attorney general and nominating them when they have no ability to practice law or haven’t practiced law in America. That’s similar to what we’re seeing here with Dr. Casey Means,” he said, adding her nomination is “extremely concerning.”
Awan said Means’ vision focuses on individual decisions made by the public as the root cause of chronic disease. But focusing on individual choices can only go so far, he suggests.
“That vision doesn’t explain why Black women are 40% more likely to die of breast cancer than White women,” he said. “That vision doesn't explain why those that are of low income are much more likely, actually, to have chronic conditions like diabetes when compared to wealthy Americans. That vision also doesn't explain why Native Americans, for example, are much less likely to be screened for certain cancers like breast cancer or colon cancer."
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"These systemic inequities and racial disparities are so important for a surgeon general to address in order to move the needle for improvement in public health," he added.
During her Senate testimony Wednesday, Means was asked whether she would encourage mothers to have their children vaccinated against measles. While she said she is supportive of vaccines, she stopped short of encouraging others to get vaccinated.
“I'm not an individual's doctor, and every individual needs to talk to their doctor before putting a medication in their body,” she said.
Awan believes a surgeon general should be more direct in advocating vaccines.
“Vaccination is the only thing that's gonna allow us to beat this measles outbreak, and part of being a surgeon general, and a large part of it, is communicating effectively to the public so that people can understand complex medical decisions so that they can advocate for their health,” he said. “And she wasn't able to do that in this hearing.”
As of Thursday, it is unclear whether Means has the support needed to be confirmed.
