Casey Means, MD, appeared before the Senate Feb. 25 in a long-awaited confirmation hearing for her nomination as surgeon general, NBC News reported Feb. 25.
Here are eight things to know about Dr. Means and the hearing:
1. Dr. Means was previously tapped for the position of surgeon general in May 2025. Her hearing, originally scheduled for Oct. 30, was postponed when Dr. Means went into the same week.
2. Dr. Means is an entrepreneur, wellness influencer and New York Times bestselling author, according to her website. She received her bachelor’s degree and doctor of medicine degree from Stanford (Calif.) University and Palo Alto, Calif.-based Stanford University School of Medicine, respectively.
3. Dr. Means has not held an active medical license since January 2024 and did not complete the residency program, according to NBC. She left a surgical residency program at Oregon Health and Science University in 2018. She told Senator Andy Kim, a Democrat from New Jersey, that she is not renewing her medical license because she has not been and will not be actively seeing patients.
4. She faced stiff questioning from Sens. Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana and Bernie Sanders, a Democrat from Vermont, specifically regarding whether or not she believed that vaccines cause autism, a theory touted by HHs Secret Robert Kennedy, a close ally of Dr. Means.
5. According to NBC, Dr. Means said that “anti-vaccine rhetoric has never been a part” of her messaging, but declined to rule out vaccines as a contributor to autism despite decades of evidence disproving a link.
“We do not know as a medical community what causes autism,” Dr. Means said. “Until we have a clear understanding of why kids are developing this at higher rates, I think we should not leave any stones unturned.”
6. Dr. Means’ brother, Calley Means, is senior adviser to HHS and a strong ally of Mr. Kennedy.
7. Senator Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington, asked Dr. Means about her prior comments on birth control, which she said has “horrifying health risks.” Dr. Means said she was referring to blood clots and stroke among women who take birth control and are smokers or have other risk factors, such as clotting disorders and obesity.
“I absolutely believe these medications should be accessible to all women,” she said, adding that “all medications have risks and benefits.”
8. President Donald Trump nominated Dr. Means for surgeon general after withdrawing his previous choice, former Fox News medical contributor Janette Nesheiwat, MD.
