PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Dr. Casey Means, President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. surgeon general, is facing criticism over her financial ties to wellness products she promotes, raising concerns about conflicts of interest in her potential new role.
Means, 37, a Stanford-trained doctor who left her surgical residency in 2018, has since built a wellness brand through social media and co-founded the health tech company Levels. She has promoted supplements, blood tests, and food services — sometimes without disclosing financial relationships such as affiliate commissions, sponsorships, or personal investments.
The Associated Press found she had business ties to several companies she promoted, including Daily Harvest, Zen Basil, and Function Health. Legal and ethics experts say her failure to clearly disclose these connections could undermine her credibility if confirmed as surgeon general.
Means has publicly criticized the medical establishment for being influenced by industry money. Yet her own involvement in the wellness industry — which profits from similar financial arrangements — has prompted concern about whether she can provide unbiased public health guidance.
She has not yet undergone Senate confirmation or committed to any ethics pledges. Experts say her nomination highlights the growing overlap between influencer culture and public service — and the ethical challenges that come with it.
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