President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Casey Means, has publicly criticized the links between the medical, health, and food sectors and special interests that compromise public health. However, her efforts to promote wellness products and services for profit raise ethical questions about her potential conflicts of interest in this role.
Dr. Means has built a following by advocating against the influence of the food and pharmaceutical industries on scientific integrity while simultaneously endorsing various health-related products and services—often without clear disclosures regarding her financial stakes in those ventures. A review by the Associated Press revealed that she has promoted numerous products on her social media and personal platforms, sometimes failing to disclose her role as an investor or advisor to the companies she recommends. These undisclosed relationships contradict her criticism of industry corruption in healthcare and science.
Means, who left her surgical residency in 2018, co-founded Levels, a company offering continuous glucose monitoring—a product that has sparked debate regarding its necessity for non-diabetics. Her growing prominence, with over 825,000 Instagram followers, places her in a position to influence public health perceptions while raising concerns among experts about her dual role as an advocate and a businesswoman.
Moreover, legal and ethics experts caution that her financial ties could undermine her credibility as surgeon general, a role traditionally expected to deliver unbiased public health guidance. As influencer marketing increasingly intertwines with health advice, experts highlight the necessity for transparency in disclosing financial relationships to maintain the public’s trust. While Means has not yet undergone a Senate confirmation hearing, her situation brings to light the complex ethical landscape that emerging influencers in government must navigate.
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