Shouldn't the Surgeon General Have a Medical License? - Esquire

Here’s NPR, talking about Dr. Casey Means, whom the administration would like to make our next surgeon general, and about her testimony in Congress on Wednesday.

Means graduated from Stanford Medical School, but dropped out of surgical training to become a head and neck surgeon. She went on to open a functional medicine practice in Oregon, though she stopped seeing patients a few years ago and doesn’t currently have an active medical license. At the hearing, she said she has no plans to reactivate her license, if confirmed.

The new surgeon general has no plans to revive her medical license. Wonderful. Most of Means’s testimony involved tap-dancing furiously around her career as a “wellness” crank, which undoubtedly was what recommended her to HHS Secretary Roadkill in the first place.

Alongside her book, Means runs a company, called Levels, that promotes the use of continuous glucose monitors and also sells various supplements and wellness products on her website. Means has agreed to divest from her companies if confirmed as surgeon general. Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut grilled her on a pending complaint that she violated FTC rules by failing to disclose financial relationships to products she’s promoted. “This seems systemic,” said Murphy. “It seems that in the majority of instances in which you were, as a medical professional, recommending a product, you were hiding the fact that you had a financial partnership.”

Means had a particularly bad moment when Senator Tim Kaine asked her about an interview given by her future boss in which Secretary Roadkill suggested that there was “no evidence” that the flu vaccine helped prevent, you know, the flu.

Means, a wellness influencer and author aligned with RFK Jr, first dodged the question by trying to generalize. “I believe vaccines save lives,” she said. Kaine then pushed Means to answer the question about the flu vaccine specifically. “I have not personally seen that quote or that article. … I believe that all patients should talk to their doctors,” she replied. But Kaine wasn’t done, asking again: “Do you believe there’s no evidence that the flu vaccine has no efficacy in reducing serious injury or hospitalization?” This time, Means paused for four seconds. “I support the CDC’s guidance on the vaccine,” Means eventually said. “Do you think the flu vaccine reduces the risk of hospitalization or serious injury?” Kaine said. “At the population level, I certainly think it does,” Means stammered.

So consult your doctor before you get your flu shot. You might want to check first whether your doctor has a license.