A Trump Pick's Flawed Credentials: What to Expect from Surgeon General Nominee Casey Means
The appointment of Casey Means as President Donald Trump's nominee for Surgeon General has sparked significant concern among medical experts and public health advocates. As a wellness influencer, author, and entrepreneur with ties to supplement companies and tobacco giants, Means' nomination has raised eyebrows about her qualifications for the role.
Means' lack of traditional medical training is a significant red flag. Despite attending medical school and completing a surgical residency, she dropped out in her final months due to disillusionment with conventional medicine. This raises questions about her understanding of evidence-based practices and her commitment to the scientific method.
Means has been accused of promoting unproven and disproven treatments, including "functional medicine," which is often associated with pseudoscientific practices. Her advocacy for continuous glucose monitors for people who don't need them and criticism of vaccinations like hepatitis B are particularly concerning.
Moreover, Means' financial relationships with supplement companies and medical device manufacturers raise the specter of conflict of interest. Critics argue that her appointment could lead to a "flaky" approach to health promotion, prioritizing self-promotion over scientific evidence.
Peter Lurie, president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, warns that Means' nomination could have far-reaching consequences, including promoting questionable products and theories to the public. The role of the Surgeon General is not just about public communication but also writing reports that can shape policy and public health infrastructure.
While some may argue that Means' ideas on organic produce are environmentally beneficial, critics like Emily Bass from the Breakthrough Institute point out that wholesale conversion to organic foods is impractical and often more expensive. Moreover, there is ongoing debate about the safety of pesticides like copper sulfate and glyphosate, which could be further complicated by Means' advocacy.
Means has yet to respond to questions about her nomination, but critics are already bracing for potential consequences. As a prominent public figure, she may use her platform to promote unsubstantiated claims, potentially influencing public opinion and market trends.
The appointment of Casey Means as Surgeon General nominee is a concerning development that highlights the need for rigorous scrutiny of candidates with unconventional backgrounds.
The appointment of Casey Means as President Donald Trump's nominee for Surgeon General has sparked significant concern among medical experts and public health advocates. As a wellness influencer, author, and entrepreneur with ties to supplement companies and tobacco giants, Means' nomination has raised eyebrows about her qualifications for the role.
Means' lack of traditional medical training is a significant red flag. Despite attending medical school and completing a surgical residency, she dropped out in her final months due to disillusionment with conventional medicine. This raises questions about her understanding of evidence-based practices and her commitment to the scientific method.
Means has been accused of promoting unproven and disproven treatments, including "functional medicine," which is often associated with pseudoscientific practices. Her advocacy for continuous glucose monitors for people who don't need them and criticism of vaccinations like hepatitis B are particularly concerning.
Moreover, Means' financial relationships with supplement companies and medical device manufacturers raise the specter of conflict of interest. Critics argue that her appointment could lead to a "flaky" approach to health promotion, prioritizing self-promotion over scientific evidence.
Peter Lurie, president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, warns that Means' nomination could have far-reaching consequences, including promoting questionable products and theories to the public. The role of the Surgeon General is not just about public communication but also writing reports that can shape policy and public health infrastructure.
While some may argue that Means' ideas on organic produce are environmentally beneficial, critics like Emily Bass from the Breakthrough Institute point out that wholesale conversion to organic foods is impractical and often more expensive. Moreover, there is ongoing debate about the safety of pesticides like copper sulfate and glyphosate, which could be further complicated by Means' advocacy.
Means has yet to respond to questions about her nomination, but critics are already bracing for potential consequences. As a prominent public figure, she may use her platform to promote unsubstantiated claims, potentially influencing public opinion and market trends.
The appointment of Casey Means as Surgeon General nominee is a concerning development that highlights the need for rigorous scrutiny of candidates with unconventional backgrounds.
- as someone who's all about layout and structure, I think Casey Means' nom should be laid out in bullet points or an infograph to clearly show her lack of credentials 
she's got ties to supplement companies & tobacco giants, which is a major red flag imo 
her views on "functional medicine" sound like pseudoscience to me 
and promoting continuous glucose monitors for people who don't need them? 
what's next?! 
. I mean, who needs experience in traditional medicine when you've got connections to supplement companies? 
It's all about promoting what they want to sell, not what's actually good for people. And what really gets my goat is that she thinks she can just tweet her way into being taken seriously as a health expert 
. Newsflash: tweeting doesn't equal expertise, honey 
. I'm all for holistic approaches and alternative medicine, but when it comes to the Surgeon General role, we need someone who's grounded in science, not just flaky vibes 
.
... As someone who's passionate about health and wellness, it's really disheartening to see someone with Means' credentials in a role that's supposed to be all about science and evidence-based practices 
. I mean, dropping out of med school mid-residency is huge red flag, right? And her ties to supplement companies and tobacco giants are just a major concern 
. It feels like she's more interested in promoting herself than actually serving the public 
. Can we really trust someone who's so closely tied to industries that have been proven to be detrimental to our health? 
means' financial ties to supplement companies and tobacco giants are totally sketchy, imo. it's not just about conflict of interest, it's about promoting evidence-based practices over pseudoscientific stuff. 
for the future of healthcare in the US. I mean, think about it - someone who dropped out of med school and is now getting picked to oversee public health 
. And those supplement companies she's got ties to 
. This whole thing smells like a bad deal 
We need someone with actual expertise in the role, not some wellness influencer who's just winging it. 
Can't she just stick to promoting healthy habits instead of peddling dubious products? 
, means has some weird connections to big pharma and supplement companies... like how can we trust her on public health when she's making $$$ off those same companies? 
. And let's be real, continuous glucose monitors are a total game-changer... for people who don't actually need them 
[pic of a doctor with a puzzled expression, surrounded by question marks] 
. This nomination feels like a recipe for disaster to me 
The irony is that the Surgeon General's role isn't just about promoting health, but also informing policy and public health infrastructure. We need someone with a strong foundation in science and medicine, not some self-promoter who's more interested in selling supplements than saving lives