Trump’s Surgeon General Pick Supports Vaccines–but Do…

Forbes Staff.

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Feb 25, 2026, 11:32am ESTFeb 25, 2026, 01:49pm EST

Topline

Dr. Casey Means, President Donald Trump’s nominee for surgeon general, said she believed “vaccines lives,” but stopped short of agreeing she would encourage mothers to vaccinate their children with the MMR vaccine amid the worst measles outbreak in the U.S. in decades.

Means told a Senate committee that each “patient, mother, parent” should have a conversation with their doctor about vaccinations.

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Key Facts

Testifying before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on Wednesday, Means, a physician, wellness expert and health entrepreneur, said she believed vaccines were an “important part of public health,” but said patients should consult with their doctors before making decisions.

Means said “each patient, mother, parent, needs to have a conversation with their pediatrician” about medications, she told the committee’s chair, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., who is a physician.

Cassidy had asked Means, whose first confirmation hearing was postponed in October when she went into labor, if she would “encourage other mothers to have their children vaccinated against measles with the MMR vaccine,” mentioning the past outbreaks in South Carolina and Texas.

Later, multiple senators pressed her on her past comments about the Hepatitis B vaccine, which she called “absolute insanity” and claimed the disease was “transmitted through needles and sex exclusively” in a post on X in 2024.

Means said her past comments were “incompletely representing my views” and said it was a “very important vaccine,” but wanted parents to make “the best decisions for their family.”

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, pointed out Hepatitis B was not just transmitted through sex or drug use, noting “in western Alaska, where we see Hep B as endemic, we find that it’s being spread through mosquito bites” and “ordinary household community contact” sharing food or minor injuries.

Cassidy grilled Means on the Hepatitis B vaccine again moments before her hearing ended, and Means eventually agreed that children should get the vaccine “at some time in their youth.”

What Did Means Say About Vaccines And Autism?

Speaking to both Cassidy and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., the ranking member on the committee, Means said she accepted the medical evidence that vaccines do not contribute to autism. However, she also said “the science is never settled,” and refused to completely rule out vaccines as a factor. “The reality is we have an autism crisis that is increasing and this is devastating to many families. Until we have a clear understanding of why kids are developing this at higher rates, I think we should not leave any stones unturned.”

What Did Means Say About Flu Vaccines?

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., asked Means if she agreed with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s statement in a CBS News interview in January where he claimed “there is no evidence that the flu vaccine prevents serious disease or that it prevents hospitalizations or death in children.” Means said she had not seen the interview with the HHS secretary. She hesitated before answering, prompting Kaine to remark “this is an easy one, doctor.” Eventually, Means said she supports the Centers for Disease Control’s guidance on flu vaccines, later repeating, “I believe vaccines lives.” After minutes of back-and-forth, she eventually conceded that she thought the vaccine does reduce risk of injury or hospitalization “at the population level.”

What Did Means Say About Birth Control And Abortion Medication?

When pressed by Cassidy, Means said she believed abortion medication mifepristone was safe. “Every medication has risks and benefits,” Means said, adding that “all patients need to have a thorough conversation with their doctor and have true informed consent before taking any medication.” She also said she believed oral contraceptives, hormonal birth control, should be “accessible” for women. However, she also said these medications come with “significant risk.” In the past, Means has been a vocal critic of hormonal birth control, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights, and once said they had “horrifying health risks” for the “female mind and body.” When pressed on her past comments by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., Means said her past comments were taken out of context. However, she also said they pose a risk to “particular women” for issues blood clots and strokes, and “doctors do not have enough time for thorough, informed consent conversations.”

Key Background

Means graduated from Stanford University School of Medicine in 2014, but never finished her residency program and her medical license lapsed in 2024. When questioned by Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., about her inactive license, she said “I do not plan to reactivate, because I’m not going to be seeing patients in this role.” Means later became a wellness influencer and author, writing a newsletter and a book about metabolic health. Means is a frequent critic of the mainstream healthcare system, and her book blamed modern chronic disease on metabolic dysfunction, which she claims is caused by processed foods and environmental factors and “lifestyle patterns,” according to her website. Her brother, Calley Means, is an advisor to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.