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NEW YORK (AP) -- Wellness influencer, author and entrepreneur Dr. Casey Means on Wednesday shared a vision for addressing the root causes of chronic disease instead of feeding into "reactive sick care" during her confirmation hearing to become the nation's next surgeon general.
"Our nation is angry, exhausted and hurting," the 38-year-old said in Washington before the Senate health committee Wednesday. "If we're addressing shared root causes, we're going to be able to stop the whack-a-mole medicine that's not working for us."
It's a message that dovetails with that of Means' ally, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and his "Make America Healthy Again" movement. It also has some bipartisan support, with many Democrats and Republicans agreeing that the rise in chronic disease is a problem that needs solving.
But Means also faced tough questions from senators about topics that have become divisive in recent years, such as vaccines and hormonal birth control, as well as about her qualifications and potential conflicts. The Stanford-educated physician's disillusionment with traditional medicine drove her to a career in which she has promoted various products, at times without disclosing how she could benefit financially. She has no government experience, and her license to practice as a physician is not currently active.
"I have very serious questions about the ability of Dr. Means to be the kind of surgeon general this country needs," Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, the ranking member of the Senate health committee, said Wednesday.
Next, the committee will consider whether to advance Means' nomination, in which case it would go to a vote in the full Senate.
Senators grill Means on vaccines
As the nation's doctor, the surgeon general is a leader for Americans on public health issues. If confirmed, Means could issue advisories that warn of public health threats. She also would be tasked with promoting Kennedy's sprawling MAHA agenda, which calls for removing food additives, rooting out conflicts of interest and promoting healthier eating.
Surgeons general also have sometimes used the office to advocate on issues related to vaccination -- though the office has no role in creating vaccine policy.
While Means has largely steered clear of Kennedy's debunked views on vaccines, senators from both parties grilled her on how she would approach the issue if confirmed.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, the Louisiana Republican who chairs the Senate health committee, asked Means whether she would advise Americans to vaccinate against flu and measles amid outbreaks across the U.S.
She didn't make that commitment, instead emphasizing the importance of informed consent between patients and doctors.
Cassidy, a doctor himself, then asked Means whether she believes vaccines may contribute to autism, a claim that Kennedy has embraced despite overwhelming research to the contrary.
"I do accept that evidence," she said, referring to the research. "I also think that science is never settled."
Means said she looked forward to seeing the results of a federal effort to study environmental contributors to autism. The National Institutes of Health is funding such research, and it's not clear when those findings will be made public.