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- [00:00]
Casey Means
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- [00:43]
Podcast Host
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- [00:44]
Casey Means
Bite it.
- [00:46]
Podcast Host
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- [00:48]
Casey Means
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Podcast Host
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- [00:54]
Senator / Interviewer
Shh.
- [00:55]
Podcast Host
Learn more@joinmochi.com Mochi members have access to licensed physicians and nutritionists. Results may vary. All right, let's talk about this disastrous Senate hearing where Donald Trump's nominee to be the Surgeon General was just eviscerated under cross examination by Democratic senators and also some Republican senators. So we've been without a Surgeon General for the entire Trump term thus far. So Trump has nominated someone by the name of Casey Means to be the next Surgeon General. She is not a licensed or practicing physician. She's been inactive for quite some time. She never finished her residency. After she was at Oregon, she dropped out about three years and she's been out there mostly selling kind of supplements. She talked about how these whispers that she heard in the air told her to do psychedelics. She's been a strong ally of RFK Jr. But again, someone who actually despises the medical community. And this is who Donald Trump has picked to be the Surgeon General. So I wanted to give you that framework going into this. So you have Senator Bernie Sanders cross examining this Casey means individual. And he says to her, so is health care a human right? Watch her response right here. Let's play this clip.
- [02:11]
Senator / Interviewer
Running out of time. We are the only major country on earth that does not guarantee healthcare to all people as a human right. Doctor Means, is healthcare a human right? Should the United States join every other major country and say to everybody, whether you're young, old, rich or poor, you are entitled to healthcare as a human right? Yes. No, maybe.
- [02:32]
Casey Means
My focus is on ensuring that Americans have access to the best health care in the entire world, which, as you talked about, as I talked about, as everyone who's spoken has talked about is the pretty much the opposite of what we have right now. We spend 2x every other country in the world and we have the worst.
- [02:48]
Senator / Interviewer
I agree. What is health care? Will you join me in fighting for a national health care program?
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Casey Means
I will be by your side trying to get Americans access to the best health care in the world.
- [03:02]
Podcast Host
Thank you very much. Next you have Democratic Senator Murphy. By the way, he did an incredible job, didn't he at the Midas Touch people State of the Union. And he cross examines her about not disclosing the money she was making in the supplements that she was selling when she would go out and sell these various supplements and her Senate financial disclosure show that she was making all of this money. But she told people she was not making money selling these supplements when she would talk about them. Here, let's play this clip.
- [03:31]
Senator / Interviewer
Dr. Means, are you familiar with FTC policy that requires those who are recommending products online to disclose their financial connection to those companies? In particular, the document from the FTC says this if you endorse a product through social media, your endorsement message should make it obvious when you have a relationship with the brand. Are you familiar with that? So as you know, there is a pending complaint regarding your failure to adhere to those guidelines that basically makes the contention, and this committee has verified the data that underlies their complaint that you routinely violated this policy and that in fact, in the majority of your posts for many of the products you recommend, you did not transparently reveal your financial connection. Let me give you an example.
- [04:37]
Casey Means
That's false.
- [04:38]
Senator / Interviewer
Well, let me give you, let me give. Well, I'll give you an example. So there's a prenatal vitamin called Wenatal. Your filings before this committee show that you started receiving compensation in the spring of 2024. And yet in September of 2024, you posted a video saying that you had no financial relationship to the company, just a big fan. And then in October you said, not sponsored, just love these. But in fact, you have documentation before this committee that showed when you said those things you had a financial relationship, you had already started receiving money from that company. So you weren't telling the truth when you said you were just a fan, you were actually receiving money, correct?
- [05:34]
Casey Means
In any post where I said I am not receiving money, I had not been receiving money at that time.
- [05:39]
Senator / Interviewer
But you had received partnership fees for this particular prenatal vitamin. In fact, prior to September and October, you had posted partnership links in which you get compensated based upon click throughs correct.
- [05:55]
Casey Means
I'm happy to look at whatever documentation you're talking about, but I do not. It's incorrect and it's a false representation. And just to be very clear, I've spent the last several months working with the Office of Government Ethics to be fully compliant with this process. I take it very seriously. Before, during and after. If I am in office, I will be in full compliance with the Office of Government Ethics. I think, as I've talked about, conflicts of interest are incredibly important to rectify if we're in public service. And I am fully committed to continuing to work with that.
- [06:28]
Senator / Interviewer
So let me give you some other
- [06:29]
Podcast Host
so just lots of lies, obfuscation and potentially perjury taking place there. Then you have Democratic Senator Murray cross examining Casey Means and asking her about her position on birth control. Because Casey Means has said that birth control pills are a disrespect to life and they carry with it horrifying health risks. And KC Means, as someone who wants to ban birth control, so watch this cross exam. Let's play it.
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Casey Means
Mr. Chairman, thank you, Dr. Means, for being here.
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Senator / Interviewer
Let me start with this.
- [06:59]
Casey Means
You called birth control pills, I'm going to quote, a disrespect of life. And you said Americans use birth control pills like candy. You also claim, contrary to established science, that hormonal birth control has, quote, horrifying
- [07:15]
Senator / Interviewer
health risks for women.
- [07:17]
Casey Means
Now here are the facts. There are 18 FDA approved contraceptive methods,
- [07:23]
Senator / Interviewer
both hormonal and non hormonal, and there
- [07:26]
Casey Means
are decades of evidence showing that every one of these birth control methods is safe and effective.
- [07:32]
Senator / Interviewer
I wanted to ask you help me
- [07:34]
Casey Means
understand, should Women Trust the FDA, which approved all 18 methods of birth control after a very rigorous look at the evidence, or should they trust your statement that there are horrifying health risks to birth control, which contradicts that evidence? Thank you, Senator Murray, for your question. I'm curious if you're aware of what the side effects of hormonal contraception are. I'm curious if you are with the
- [08:03]
Senator / Interviewer
FDA that went through all of these and rigorously looked at them or as
- [08:09]
Casey Means
Surgeon General, if you're going to tell the truth to the American people. I absolutely believe these medications should be accessible to all women. And also all medications have risks and benefits. And in our current medical climate with the burden on doctors we do not have, doctors do not have enough time for thorough informed consent conversations. So some of the horrifying side effects of birth control that I have mentioned include blood clots and stroke risk in women who have clotting disorders who are smokers. So is that obesity? No, it's not general. I'm very careful with my words and when I say those comments which are taken out of context, I'm speaking about particular women that can be heard if there is not informed consent about their medical history, their lifestyle exposures and their family history. I want those women, and I know you do too, to be able to have a thorough conversation with their doctor and know whether they are at higher risk for side effects when prescribed is
- [09:03]
Senator / Interviewer
one thing, but saying on you know,
- [09:05]
Casey Means
different shows that birth control pills are a disrespect of life is very different. I believe I am passionate about women's health and I think it is disrespectful people to women like Candy is very different than what you just said. We prescribe a huge amount of hormonal contraceptive and I do not believe most of those conversations have informed consent because of the pressures that doctors are under because of our broken healthcare system. I want what's best for women, as do you. And I want every woman who could be at risk for a side effect. Let me move on. If a woman died from a stroke or a blood clot because they did not have a thorough thank you for your answer. You made that clear. Let me go to another.
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Podcast Host
Next you have Republican Senator Collins from the state of Maine talking about how Casey Means hears the whispers in the air. And the whispers in the air told her to do psychedelics and she's been big on doing psychedelics after as the whispers told her to do such things.
- [10:08]
Senator / Interviewer
Here, play this clip that you were
- [10:11]
Casey Means
inspired to try psych psychedelics in what I can only describe as an internal voice that whispered it's time to prepare. Illicit drug use remains a huge problem in this country and this didn't happen in your teen years. According to your book, in 2021 you began using illicit psychedelic mushrooms. So my questions to you are twofold. One, do you stand by what you said in your book encouraging people to try psychedelics? And second, as Surgeon General, should you be confirmed, how would you speak to the American people about the use of illicit drugs? Thank you so much, Senator Collins. And I also thank you sincerely for engaging so deeply with my work and learning about me. This is a very important question and I would start by just saying that I believe what I would say as a private citizen is in many cases different than what I would say as a public health official joining a team where the purpose of this role is to communicate absolutely the best evidence based science to the American people to keep them safe, thriving, and healthy. And when it comes to psychedelic therapy for mental health issues, I think the science is still emerging, and so it would certainly not be a recommendation to the American people to do that under. Under no circumstances. I do believe that there is exciting work being done in this area that needs to continue on psychedelic therapies for PTSD and veterans for mental health issues. And some of the researchers who are doing this work have said it's some of the most promising and exciting of their entire careers. So I look forward to following that. But to be very clear, under no circumstances would I recommend that to the American people in this role. Our illicit drug use problem in our country is monumental and severe, and I look forward to working with you on these issues that are so important. What did you mean by saying that you heard an internal voice whispering to you, saying, it's time to prepare? Yeah. In that passage of the book, I'm referring to my mother's passing, which happened. She got a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer about a week after. After that experience, and in my meditations and prayers at that time, I was having a deep sense that something ominous was coming.
- [13:10]
Podcast Host
Now, just so I can bring out some receipts on Casey Means, right here. Here, she was on a podcast talking about birth control. Let's play this clip.
- [13:19]
Casey Means
We've got a huge percentage of American women on birth control pills. That's, of course, post. Hopefully post puberty. But we're. We're putting women on exogenous estrogens for acne, for pcos, for menstrual irregularity, sometimes, of course, for actual birth control. But it's like, it's. It's very ubiquitous now in the environment. And. And it's like, when you kind of know this stuff, you're like, how are we allowing this to happen? And then, of course, it's affecting boys, too. Right. You know, and so I kind of just think about this world we're living in where it's tons of estrogens. It's not like there's a bunch of exogenous testosterone.
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Senator / Interviewer
Right.
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Casey Means
It's not like the Plastics are all.
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Podcast Host
He or she is on the same show, incorrectly linking vaccine use with autism just so, again, you can see what she said. Play this clip.
- [14:05]
Casey Means
It's like, with vaccines, like, yeah, I bet that one vaccine probably isn't causing autism. But what about the. The 20 that they're getting before 18 months? Like, we don't look at it in synergistic, you know, and so that's. That's a big problem. And this is where and here's what
- [14:20]
Podcast Host
she says about the health care, American health care in general. Let's play this clip.
- [14:25]
Casey Means
The more specialties we invent in health care, the sicker we're getting. The more drugs we prescribe in the United States for these different chronic illnesses, the increase in the rates of these diseases. So the more drugs for the diseases, the higher amounts of these diseases we get, the more specialties, the more diseases. Literally, the more research that we publish on these diseases, the worse the diseases
- [14:54]
Podcast Host
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- [16:54]
Senator / Interviewer
And some have been scared to vaccinate their children because they've been told incorrectly that vaccines cause death. Do you believe that vaccines, whether individually or collectively, contribute to autism?
- [17:09]
Casey Means
Senator Cassidy, you're a physician. I'm a physician. The reality is that we have an autism crisis that's increasing and this is devastating to many families. And we do not know as a medical community what causes autism. The administration has just committed a huge amount of funding to look at the exposome of all environmental factors that could be contributing to autism. And until we have a clear understanding of why kids are developing this at higher rates, I think we should not leave any stones unturned.
- [17:42]
Senator / Interviewer
There's been a lot of evidence showing that they're not implicated. Do you not accept that evidence?
- [17:47]
Casey Means
I do accept that evidence. I also think that science has never settled and I think that the effort to look at comprehensive, cumulative exposures of our exposome into what is causing autism is important. And I look forward to seeing those results and sharing the best public health information with the American people.
- [18:06]
Senator / Interviewer
Well, I got through five.
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Podcast Host
So there was another moment where MAGA Republican Senator Mark Wayne Mullen talked about, man, I'm ranting for too long. He was trying to prop her up and help her out because of course MAGA wants her to be the Surgeon General, like the number one doctor, basically. And she's not active and she never is a sports specialist and she was never a practicing physician really at all. But this is who MAGA wants, right? I mean, this is like they have Jim Jordan lead the Judiciary Committee. He's not a licensed lawyer. Right. They've got RFK Jr. Running the health department and he's got no real background there other than his kind of quackery. But anyway, watch this. Watch what goes down between him and Senator Bernie Sanders. Play this clip.
- [18:47]
Senator / Interviewer
Say, hey, scrap aca. Admit it doesn't work, admit you guys made a mistake, and let's work at something with President Trump to make affordable health care healthy and affordable for everybody. But there's zero chance you guys could do that. Zero chance.
- [19:00]
Podcast Host
Yet everybody we bring up here, you
- [19:01]
Senator / Interviewer
guys chastise for trying to make changes. God forbid we change and go after, try to fix our broken system. Anyways, I ranted too long. Let's Talk about some. Yes, you did. I'm sorry I didn't ask your opinion on that. And if I cared about your opinion, I would ask you. But I don't care about your opinion.
- [19:18]
Podcast Host
Well, you're part of the system.
- [19:19]
Senator / Interviewer
You're part of the problem. You've been sitting here longer than I've even been alive.
- [19:22]
Podcast Host
This is your problem.
- [19:23]
Senator / Interviewer
You should have fixed this a long time ago. You've been rel on it so long. What are you going to do?
- [19:26]
Podcast Host
I decided not to run for Surgeon General.
- [19:30]
Senator / Interviewer
You're the nominee. I decided. Nominee. That is definitely something we would never accept.
- [19:38]
Podcast Host
Ma'. Am.
- [19:39]
Senator / Interviewer
What's your passion about health care? What brought you into this?
- [19:45]
Casey Means
Thank you, Senator Mullen, for all of us. I'm just going to take a deep breath.
- [19:51]
Podcast Host
Next, you have Senator Murray asking if you believe in SSRIs being dangerous to pregnant women. Let's play this clip.
- [19:59]
Senator / Interviewer
SSRIs the most commonly prescribed type.
- [20:02]
Casey Means
Do you believe that SSRIs are dangerous for pregnant women? I don't want to be a broken record here, but I do believe that every medication has risks and benefits. And you need to have a nuanced conversation with your doctor before starting a medication. That is, I think, the most responsible position for any doctor to share.
- [20:22]
Senator / Interviewer
Well, strong evidence has shown that SSRIs
- [20:25]
Casey Means
are safe in pregnancy. Most do not increase the risk of birth defects, certainly, but untreated depression in pregnancy puts women at risk. And I agree with you, but I still think a patient. I don't think it's responsible to make a blanket statement for all Americans. Okay. Well, if confirmed as Surgeon General, it will be your job to give accurate and up to date health information to the American people.
- [20:45]
Senator / Interviewer
I assume you will.
- [20:47]
Casey Means
I will. Seriously? I absolutely do.
- [20:49]
Podcast Host
And it should be noted as well that Casey Means previously said the following about glyphosate, which the Trump regime now supports. She previously posted. Pesticides are a slow motion extinction event. The lasting domino effects on health, fertility, cancer, neurodegeneration, global biodiversity, topsoil integrity, ocean and aquatic life, and more, I think could potentially push us to reach a tipping point. We're poisoning the intricate web of life for a false sense of convenience and efficiency. Please pay attention, speak up and choose differently. And for the love of God, never buy Roundup now. Roundup is that product that has glyphosate in it subject to all of those lawsuits with the links between glyphosate and non Hodgkin's lymphoma cancers. So Democratic Senator Markey Asks her. So do you think Trump's executive order promoting glyphosate is good? So are you supportive of that? You've been against it. Now will you speak out against it? Will you use that voice and speak out? You're here under penalty of perjury. What are you going to say? And again, watch us what a con artist she is. Watch what a phony she is. Here, play this clip.
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Senator / Interviewer
Administration filed a brief with the Supreme Court arguing that Monsanto, one of the main producers of glyphosate, should be shielded from lawsuits from Americans who develop cancers from being exposed to glyphosate containing Roundup, which is a weed killer. Instead of fighting for families with cancer, the Trump administration is fighting against them. So again, back to you, yes or no, do you think President Trump's executive order promoting the production of glyphosate, which you yourself have said likely causes cancer, will put American families health at risk?
- [22:36]
Casey Means
Senator Markey, you and I both know that these issues around agriculture and health are extremely complex and are affecting farmers, consumers, food producers, food accessibility. My understanding of the executive order is that the thrust of this has to do with national security and decreased resilience and reliance on, on foreign countries for tools that farmers are currently using right now.
- [23:02]
Senator / Interviewer
But these are things, these are cancer inducing chemicals. We must, according to your own statements,
- [23:11]
Casey Means
we must as a country move away from using toxic inputs in our food supply and we must study these chemicals more to understand their effects. I am very gravely concerned about the health impacts of these chemicals.
- [23:24]
Senator / Interviewer
I understand that, Doctor. I'm just trying to help you to agree with yourself. You've already said it in the past, but Trump is contradicting you.
- [23:32]
Casey Means
Our food is dependent currently on these chemicals. There is a good faith movement towards moving our food system towards regenerative agriculture and precision application of pesticides. I believe in good faith that is happening within this administration. I do also believe that we must do that.
- [23:49]
Senator / Interviewer
It's not good faith. He's immune. He's arguing that there should be an immunization of Monsanto against any lawsuits. That's not good faith. That's just siding with the chemical manufacturing company that is in fact causing the cancers. So don't you think it does put people, families at risk if these chemicals are in the system? That's been your position historically.
- [24:12]
Casey Means
I think there's grave issues with these chemicals. I think that we are in a very complicated moment for agriculture and food. We cannot overturn the entire agriculture system overnight. That would hurt farmers, it would hurt food prices. This is a national security. That's not what the Trump administration.
- [24:28]
Senator / Interviewer
That's not what the Trump administration says.
- [24:29]
Casey Means
And as a physician and as the Surgeon General, my focus would be on making sure that we are protecting American consumers and their health and making sure that we are having transparent, honest conversations.
- [24:40]
Senator / Interviewer
I'm disappointed to see you back away from your efforts.
- [24:43]
Casey Means
I am not in any way backing away from this issue. It is a core passion of my life.
- [24:47]
Senator / Interviewer
Secretary Kennedy has already backed away from his prior statements. The glyphosate is a carcinogen.
- [24:53]
Podcast Host
And more from Senator Murphy right here. Cross examining her and you can see how she just BSes this entire thing. Watch how she tries to blame Senator Murphy's staffers, as Rupert says. Here, play this clip.
- [25:08]
Senator / Interviewer
Function Health, which is your lab testing platform, data shows that you disclosed your partnership with them less than a third of the time that you recommended their services online. Genova Diagnostics. You, you disclosed your sponsorship and only two of the nine times that you promoted Genova Daily Harvest. You disclosed your sponsorship in only three of the 14 posts recommending that product. Zen Basil Seeds. You disclosed your partnership only two out of the 13 times that you recommended the product. This seems systemic. 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. You seem to be in regular willful violation of the FTC rules. That is concerning as someone who agrees with Senator Cassidy that our focus has to be on restoring trust in the medical profession. And yet, over and over again, you seem to be at scale, recommending products without telling your followers. And you have 200,000 newsletter subscribers. You have almost a million Instagram followers. And in only 3 out of 14 times on daily Harvest when you were promoting Daily Harvest, you disclose that you're getting paid by them.
- [26:36]
Casey Means
It sounds like you have a lot to say about this issue, and I would be very interested to see how your staff would looked at this data. I have a strong feeling that the way in which they gather this data is, is done intentionally to create these claims that you're making.
- [26:51]
Senator / Interviewer
Well, I have the back, I have the, I don't, I have the backup here. I mean, I acknowledge that in many, in, in, in many instances when you were promoting these products, you did not disclose that you had a financial relationship.
- [27:06]
Casey Means
I don't think that's true. And if it has happened, if it inadvertently has happened, I would rectify that immediately. However, I would be interested to see how your staff gather.
- [27:18]
Senator / Interviewer
I'll be happy to send it to you.
- [27:19]
Casey Means
And I will conclude by saying that
- [27:21]
Senator / Interviewer
all the committee members, I mean, it's pretty incontrovertible evidence.
- [27:25]
Casey Means
I take conflicts of interest incredibly seriously. I've worked diligently with the Office of Government Ethics to make sure that conflicts are addressed thoroughly.
- [27:37]
Senator / Interviewer
The committee will stand in recess for 15 minutes.
- [27:39]
Casey Means
Thank you.
- [27:40]
Podcast Host
Then we have cross examination from Democratic Senator also Brooks from Maryland.
- [27:44]
Senator / Interviewer
Let's play it from a company called Peak.
- [27:47]
Casey Means
Yes. Okay. And in Your newsletter, number 33, you acknowledge that Peak has sponsored you. Now, were you aware that this company was served notice under California's Proposition 65 for containing and failing to disclose that lead above the allowable amounts carcinogen and reproductive toxin was present? I just want to repeat, I've worked with the Office of Government Ethics. I'm not going to be taking any. But we're talking about just the ones you've already. So this is about conflicts. And I have been cleared by the Office of Government Ethics through an exhaustive process. I've signed a letter that I will be fully compliant. And this is before, during and after the term. I take it very seriously and I'll work closely with them to make sure there are no conflicts. The point here is that you've received compensation from these companies, including Daily Harvest, where this company was subject to an investigation by the Food and Drug Administration after hundreds became seriously ill after consuming the product. And these are, these are companies that you have received money from. They've been investigated. And you are railing out against pharmaceutical
- [28:50]
Senator / Interviewer
companies that you say are advertising these
- [28:54]
Casey Means
products that mislead the public. And yet you've received compensation from companies and you've promoted them in your newsletter. And you're doing the same thing the pharmaceutical companies are doing by advertising and influencing people for these products that have been deemed to be unsafe for the public. Now let me just move on as well to vaccinations.
- [29:19]
Podcast Host
Here we have Democratic Senator Kaine. Play it over here.
- [29:22]
Casey Means
Report.
- [29:23]
Senator / Interviewer
On January 7th, just a month or so ago, Secretary Kennedy stated, quote, there is no evidence, no evidence that the flu vaccine prevents serious disease or that it prevents hospitalization or deaths in children. Do you agree with that statement,
- [29:42]
Casey Means
Senator Kaine? As I said, I'm. I believe vaccines save lives and are an important part of our.
- [29:50]
Senator / Interviewer
But I'm not asking about the general. I heard that testimony earlier. But the statement is there is no evidence that flu vaccine, and I want to be scrupulous about this, prevents serious disease or that it prevents hospitalization or death in children. You're an md. Your Qualifications have been much discussed earlier. Do you agree with the statement that there's no evidence that the flu vaccine prevents serious disease or that it prevents hospitalizations or death in children?
- [30:21]
Casey Means
I have not personally seen that quote or that article. I want to review it before I comment on that.
- [30:27]
Senator / Interviewer
I'm going to set the quote aside. I'll introduce for the record an article, CBS News RFK Jr. Says it may be better if fewer children receive the flu vaccine, dated January 7, 2026. Without objection. Let me set aside the quote and set aside Secretary Kennedy and set aside the article. Do you believe that there is evidence that the flu vaccine prevents serious disease and prevents hospitalization or deaths in children?
- [30:55]
Casey Means
I believe that all patients should talk to their doctors.
- [31:00]
Senator / Interviewer
And so do I. And that's not what I'm asking you. Your qualifications have been much discussed. There is a mountain of evidence about this. Do you believe that there's no evidence that the flu vaccine has efficacy in reducing serious injury or hospitalization? This is an Easy one, doctor. This is an easy one.
- [31:28]
Casey Means
I support the CDC's guidance on the flu vaccine and I will always be working with the cdc, ACIP and the.
- [31:35]
Senator / Interviewer
So you believe in it is an efficacious vaccine to reduce hospitalization.
- [31:40]
Casey Means
Is or is not?
- [31:41]
Senator / Interviewer
Is. You believe it is.
- [31:43]
Casey Means
As I said, I support the CDC's guidance on the flu vaccine.
- [31:46]
Senator / Interviewer
Let me just say, do you think the flu vaccine reduces the risk of hospitalization or serious injury?
- [31:53]
Casey Means
I've said that.
- [31:53]
Senator / Interviewer
You're a doctor.
- [31:54]
Casey Means
I believe vaccines save lives, a public health strategy.
- [31:59]
Senator / Interviewer
The flu vaccine, does it reduce the risk of injury or hospitalization at the population level?
- [32:05]
Casey Means
I certainly think that it does.
- [32:07]
Senator / Interviewer
Let me introduce, for the record, If I can, Mr. Chair, CDC seasonal flu vaccine effectiveness studies dated May 30, 2025 from the CDC that goes into this in some detail without objection. This is not a hard question.
- [32:21]
Casey Means
I answered your question.
- [32:22]
Podcast Host
Democratic Senator Kim had an opportunity to cross examine her. Let's play it.
- [32:26]
Casey Means
I guess I wanted to just dive into this because, you know, with the Commission Corps it's saying as a commissioned corps Officer of the U.S. public Health Services, keeping professional licensure and certification up to date is mandatory. So I guess I just wanted to get a sense of how you're squaring this here. Well, I do have a medical license right now it is voluntarily placed on inactive status because I'm not actively seeing patients at this time. The HHS and Admiral Brian Christine have testified in front of this committee that I am eligible to serve as the medical director of the hhs. How does that square say here? It says professional. Keeping a professional licensure and certification up to date is mandatory. Is yours up to date? I have an active. I have a medical license that is unexpired right now. I Admiral Christine has testified that I'm eligible to serve in this role. I'm the president's nominee for Surgeon General. And further questions about that will have to go to. So if you were to expand that, would you say that like with the other others in the Commission Corps, do you think we should remove the mandatory licensure for them to be able to participate in the Corps? That's not a question that I've considered. I don't think it's actually relevant to this particular hearing. Well, it's relevant insofar as I'm just trying to think through if you're in this job, how are you going to be proceeding and what kind of advice you're going to be able to get give to the American people and the credibility that they will have in understanding what your advice is. Also in terms of, you know, if you are a leader of the commissioned corps, I'm trying to get a sense, are you going to deprioritize having an active license in the same way that, you know, you believe that you can do the job of a Surgeon General without having an active license? Do you believe that that is the case for others in the commissioned Corps, that they can do their job without having an active license? Senator Kim I'm a medical doctor. I graduated from Stanford University School of Medicine. I have a medical license. My professional history is a feature. It's not a bug. I have had a unique history that has merged entrepreneurship, public health advocacy, faculty course direction at Stanford University, as well as being an editor of a medical journal and a biomedical researcher. And in these complex times for American healthcare, that type of multidisciplinary history is going to be extremely valuable for the American people. I don't des discount your, you know, your accomplishments and your education, but what I'm trying to get a sense of here is your ability to be able to engage with our current medical professionals to show respect to. I practice medicine. I owned my own medical practice and I've seen thousands of patients and I did over four years of surgical training, which is more than many of our past surgeon generals completed who did medical specialties. I have completed extremely thorough medical training and I have the ability through these experiences to communicate excellent public health information. And I really look forward to working with the Commission Corps. This is an incredible group of people, 5,000 uniformed officers who are committing their lives to helping the American people. And personally, just to share a little bit of I agree with vision for that signal that is being sent is one that I think we have to look at. And with that, I'll yield back.
- [35:35]
Podcast Host
And here Casey means Trump's nominee for surgeon general won't unambiguously say that mothers should have their kids vaccinated against measles.
- [35:44]
Senator / Interviewer
Let's play it had two children die from measles in West Texas. We've now have an outbreak of like a thousand children almost in South Carolina area. You're a mom. We're on verge, we're on the verge of losing our measles elimination status. Would you encourage other mothers to have their children vaccinated against measles with the MMR vaccine?
- [36:08]
Casey Means
Like you, I'm a physician. I believe vaccines save lives. I believe that vaccines are a key part of every public of any infectious disease public health strategy. And I would work with you, the cdc, the nih, asip.
- [36:22]
Senator / Interviewer
Would you encourage mothers to vaccinate their children with the MMR vaccine? Seeing how we've had children die and
- [36:29]
Casey Means
this outbreak in South Carolina, I'm supportive of vaccination. I do believe that each patient, mother, parent needs to have a conversation with their pediatrician about any medication they're putting in their body or their children's bodies.
- [36:41]
Senator / Interviewer
Were the nation's doctor, would you encourage her to have her child vaccinated?
- [36:44]
Casey Means
I'm not an individual's doctor and every individual needs to talk to their doctor before putting a medication in their body. I absolutely am supportive of the measles vaccine and I do believe vaccines save lives and are an important part of the public health strategy.
- [36:57]
Podcast Host
We've had a what about the flu vaccine? Here, play this clip.
- [37:00]
Senator / Interviewer
Tough flu season this year. Would you, as past surgeon generals have, encourage Americans to get vaccinated with the flu vaccine?
- [37:09]
Casey Means
At the risk of sounding repetitive, I do think it's very important as a physician and to rebuild trust in public health to make sure that patients are encouraged to have informed consent with their doctor before getting any medication. I believe vaccines save lives. I believe they're an important part of public health. I also do not want to not encourage patients to have a conversation with their doctor. I think it's incredibly important. Informed consent is going to be part of building trust in public health.
- [37:39]
Podcast Host
There you have it, folks. Let me know what you think. Hit subscribe. Let's get to 6 million. Thank you everybody for watching. Want to stay plugged in become a subscriber to our substack@midasplus.com you'll get daily recaps from Ronfield, Cows, Whiskey ad, free episodes of our podcast and more exclusive content Only available@midasplus.com.
- [38:00]
Casey Means
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- [38:05]
Podcast Host
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- [38:08]
Casey Means
What do I do?
- [38:09]
Podcast Host
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- [38:10]
Casey Means
I'm freaking out.
- [38:11]
Senator / Interviewer
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- [38:12]
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- [38:18]
Casey Means
I'm so relieved. No problem. I'll be with you every step of the way.
- [38:21]
Podcast Host
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