Casey Means Faces Senate Scrutiny Over Vaccines, Contraception and Antidepressants
Dr. Casey Means appeared before the Senate on Wednesday in a long-awaited hearing on her nomination for surgeon general, a contest that has focused attention on her views of mainstream medicine. In the hearing, casey means faced sustained questioning on vaccines, contraception and antidepressant use during pregnancy, topics that senators said bear on her suitability for the post.
Wednesday hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
Means appeared before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee for what senators described as a highly scrutinized nomination process. Committee members pressed Means on a range of clinical and policy positions, repeatedly asking her for clear answers on whether she endorses established public-health recommendations and how she aligns with administration health officials.
Autism exchange with Sens. Bill Cassidy and Bernie Sanders
Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., both grilled Means about whether she believed that vaccines cause autism, echoing claims made by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Means said that vaccines save lives and that “anti-vaccine rhetoric has never been a part of my message. ” She nonetheless declined to rule out vaccines as a contributor to autism, saying, “We do not know as a medical community what causes autism, ” and adding, “Until we have a clear understanding of why kids are developing this at higher rates, I think we should not leave any stones unturned. ” Scientists largely attribute the rise in autism cases to advances in diagnostic capabilities and greater understanding and awareness of autism spectrum disorder; genes and environmental factors are likely contributors as well.
Flu vaccine questions from Sen. Tim Kaine and CDC guidance change
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., pressed Means several times on whether the flu vaccine prevents serious disease, hospitalizations or death, saying, “Doctor, this is an easy one. ” Means hesitated and ultimately replied, “I support the CDC guidance on the flu vaccine. ” In January, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. altered the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s childhood vaccine guidance, replacing a universal recommendation for flu shots with a recommendation for shared clinical decision-making between patients and doctors, a move described in the hearing as highly controversial.
Casey Means’s ties to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and wellness influence
Means, a popular wellness influencer, was a campaign adviser during Kennedy’s presidential bid and was described in committee exchanges as an architect of his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda. Her brother, Calley Means, is identified as a Kennedy ally and a senior adviser to the Department of Health and Human Services. Like Kennedy, Means has gained popularity in wellness circles for messages about outsize corporate influence in the food and pharmaceutical industries, and senators flagged those ties during questioning.
Birth control comments and antidepressant guidance in pregnancy
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., pressed Means about prior comments on hormonal birth control. Means has written on her website that hormonal birth control has “horrifying health risks” and that the “total burden” of the vaccine schedule — before Kennedy overhauled it — is “causing health declines in vulnerable children. ” The hearing record notes that neither claim is substantiated by scientific evidence, that routine childhood shots are backed by decades of safety data, and that serious complications from hormonal birth control are rare. Means told senators some of the “horrifying” side effects she referenced include blood clots and stroke among women who have clotting disorders, are smokers or have obesity, and said, “I absolutely believe these medications should be accessible to all women, ” adding that “all medications have risks and benefits. ” On antidepressant use during pregnancy, Means reiterated that there are benefits and risks and said patients should have a nuanced conversation with their doctors. Some Food and Drug Administration officials have questioned whether pregnant women should stay on the medications, despite the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ recommendation to do.
