Copyright ABC News
Dr. Casey Means, the wellness entrepreneur President Donald Trump nominated in May to be his surgeon general, will testify Thursday at her confirmation hearing that she would work to put "Americans back on the road toward wholeness and health," according to a copy of her prepared testimony obtained by ABC News. Means, whom Trump nominated in May to the position often referred to as America's top doctor, would be one of the last major health nominees to appear for a Senate hearing and confirmation vote. The White House withdrew the nomination of Trump's initial surgeon general pick, former Fox News contributor Janette Nesheiwat, in May, a day before her scheduled confirmation hearing. Trump then announced Means as his new nominee in a social media post. "Her academic achievements, together with her life's work, are absolutely outstanding," the president wrote. "Dr. Casey Means has the potential to be one of the finest Surgeon Generals in United States History." Means' testimony, to be delivered virtually to the Senate HELP Committee, features rhetoric aligned with the "Make America Healthy Again" movement, led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which prioritizes tackling chronic disease and embraces skepticism of traditional medicine. Means' brother, Calley Means, serves as White House senior adviser and special government employee who has worked closely with Kennedy and has touted many of his health proposals. While Means notes in her prepared testimony that she has treated "thousands of patients in clinics and operating rooms" and has "run my own medical practice," she has pursued an unconventional medical path that has left critics questioning her credentials to take on the job of surgeon general. After graduating from Stanford Medical School, Means attended a surgical residency program at Oregon Health and Science University but never completed it. According to a biography on her website, she left the residency early after becoming "disillusioned with the practice and incentives of surgical care." Means practiced medicine, including conducting surgeries, during her residency program under the auspices of an attending physician, who is ultimately responsible for the outcome of the procedures. Withdrawing from her residency without graduating means she never was allowed to test to become board-certified -- an exam to prove a high level of expertise in a medical specialty. This significantly limits her ability to practice medicine in a clinical patient setting. Her medical license online is currently listed as inactive. In government filings submitted last month, Means pledged, if confirmed, to resign from her position as an advisor for Levels Health, Inc., a wellness company that includes packages with an extensive battery of blood tests, glucose monitoring and health coaching. Subscriptions run from $288 to $1,499 a year. Means further promised to stop her work as an influencer promoting supplements and other wellness products, and to stop promoting her book, "Good Energy," which was published last year. She also pledged to divest herself of stock in a handful of companies, including Altria Group, which owns the maker of Marlboro cigarettes. An HHS spokesman told ABC News that the Altria Group stock was purchased by Means' husband before they were married. In her prepared testimony, Means says she will encourage Americans to "join in a great national healing," focusing on "healing and prevention" instead of "overmedicalization." "I believe every American shares a core yearning to thrive and help their families thrive. But we are asking people to make healthy choices in environments structured against them. Good policy and education can make health easier, more affordable, and more accessible," she plans to say, according to her prepared testimony. Means notes in her testimony that she is more than 40 weeks pregnant with her first child, which she said will prevent her from attending the confirmation hearing in person. "As I stand on the threshold of motherhood, I feel profound awe at the privilege of bringing life into the world, and a deep responsibility to help create a future where more children grow up with vibrant health," according to her prepared testimony.
