1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

senate_both The proposed nomination of Casey Means as the next Surgeon General raises significant concerns about her qualifications and fitness for such a critical public health role. As an influencer with a lapsed medical license, Means has promoted dangerous misinformation and unsubstantiated claims, including the assertion that the childhood vaccine schedule is linked to conditions like autism and Alzheimer's disease. These unfounded allegations directly contradict established medical consensus and could dangerously undermine public trust in vital immunization programs that protect children and communities. Furthermore, Means' endorsement of pseudoscientific practices like communicating with "spirit mediums" and using psychedelic mushrooms as "plant medicine" calls into question her ability to uphold evidence-based policymaking as Surgeon General. Her close alignment with controversial figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has espoused anti-vaccine rhetoric, raises additional concerns about her potential to prioritize ideological agendas over sound public health guidance. The role of Surgeon General demands an individual with impeccable medical credentials, a demonstrated commitment to scientific integrity, and the capacity to navigate complex health issues objectively and responsibly. Means' background as a wellness influencer who abandoned her medical training, coupled with her dissemination of misinformation, renders her wholly unfit for this esteemed position. I urge you to oppose her nomination to protect the integrity of the office and ensure the nation's public health policies remain grounded in rigorous scientific evidence rather than unsubstantiated claims or ideological biases. The American people deserve a Surgeon General they can trust to safeguard their well-being without compromising principles of medical ethics and scientific consensus.