A 'grifter,' a 'wellness influencer,' a 'superb choice': Docs fiercely divided on US Surgeon General nominee
Key Takeaways
Industry Buzz
“How did they find one person with so many red flags?” — Pharmacist on Reddit @xmastwinfallsidaho
“Dr. Casey Means @drcaseyskitchen is a SUPERB choice... Brilliant, caring, and genuinely wants the country to be physically and mentally healthy. Also finally a doctor NOT owned by Big Pharma.” — Suneel Dhand, MD, @suneeldhandmd
“Literally any practicing doctor in America is more qualified than she is. Without residency or a medical license, no hospital system in the country would hire her.” — Board-certified OB/GYN Karen Tang, MD, @karentangmd
“Whether you're on the right or or the left, I would hope that you had higher standards for America's chief physician. At the least someone who's actually trained to be a practicing doctor… The fact that they were nominated in the first place is what should concern us all about MAHA.” — Cardiologist Ali Haider, MD, @yourheartdoc
President Trump's nomination of Casey Means, MD, as US Surgeon General has ignited a firestorm across the medical community, triggering a fierce divide among doctors on social media.
Reactions range from enthusiastic support to pointed skepticism, revealing tensions between traditional medicine and a growing movement for holistic, preventive healthcare.[]
Critics are up in arms
Critics have expressed alarm over Dr. Means's unconventional path to the nomination. She holds a medical degree from Stanford but currently lacks an active medical license.[] Skeptics question her readiness to serve as the nation's top public health official, citing her promotion of alternative treatments and skepticism toward vaccines.
“Whether you're on the right or or the left, I would hope that you had higher standards for America's chief physician. At the least someone who's actually trained to be a practicing doctor and ever treated a patient. Beyond this particular nominee, the fact that they were nominated in the first place is what should concern us all about MAHA,” said cardiologist Ali Haider, MD, in an Instagram Reel.
Over on Reddit, docs commenting under a post on r/medicine (a thread exclusively for physicians and other healthcare professionals) shared similar concerns, with user @carolyn_mae (PGY7) calling her a “wellness influencer who’s close with RFK Jr.” Another (Pharmacist @xmastwinfallsidaho) asked, “How did they find one person with so many red flags?”
Supporters hope for a fix for a broken system
Not all physicians are critical of the appointment. Advocates for Dr. Means, particularly within the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, view her as a transformative figure poised to challenge entrenched health paradigms. Her background includes co-founding health tech company Levels and co-authoring Good Energy, which emphasizes metabolic health and lifestyle interventions over pharmaceutical solutions.[]
Supporters argue that her focus on preventive care and holistic wellness addresses the root causes of chronic diseases plaguing the nation.
Suneel Dhand, MD, an internal medicine physician, lauded her as a "superb choice" for Surgeon General, highlighting her independence from pharmaceutical industry influences. On Instagram, he wrote, “Finally a doctor NOT owned by Big Pharma … Dr Casey Means [is] brilliant, caring, and genuinely wants the country to be physically and mentally healthy.”
Users commenting under Dr. Haider’s Reel denigrating Dr. Means’s nomination agree with Dr. Dhand’s more positive approach, with one user (@brad_majors_) writing, “She was a highly awarded and regarded resident when she chose to focus on HEALTH rather than medicine.”
Another commenter (@warrenperry00) pointed out that the current healthcare system “constantly fails the citizens of this country,” and if given a choice between maintaining business as usual or trying something new under Dr. Means, he wrote, ”I’ll take the grifter.”
Another (@the_david_keller) wrote, “When ‘real doctors’ push garbage and are being paid by big pharma… I’ll listen to the alternative.”
A fractured movement
The nomination has exposed rifts within the MAHA movement. While some embrace Dr. Means's holistic approach, others fear that her views may undermine the movement's credibility. RFK Jr. supports her nomination, but has faced backlash from factions that perceive Dr. Means as too moderate or insufficiently aligned with their ideals.[]
Dr. Means's nomination signals a potential shift in federal health policy toward alternative medicine and preventive care. If confirmed, she may prioritize initiatives targeting metabolic health, nutrition, and lifestyle changes over traditional medical research into new medications and therapies.
At the same time, her stance on vaccines and lack of clinical experience raise questions about how she would handle public health crises requiring evidence-based interventions.
Dr. Casey Means's nomination as Surgeon General has sparked a contentious debate, reflecting broader tensions in American healthcare between traditional medical practices and emerging wellness ideologies. As the confirmation process unfolds, stakeholders across the spectrum will closely scrutinize her qualifications and vision for the nation's health.
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