Nobody needs a spine transplant. This woman is from start to finish unqualified. In fact, she’s disqualified. Her story about leaving residency doesn’t pass the smell test.
When M appeared on Bill Maher last spring she was lean and very healthy looking. The two of them spent a lot of time declaring that people who are overweight simply aren’t disciplined or trying hard enough.
As a fit person who has children, the occasional injury, and crazy work hours I found that incredibly judgmental.
I was shocked - but also a bit pleased - to see that Means looked like pregnancy had added quite a lot of weight and given her a teenaged complexion. I wonder if she’s developed a little more compassion now that she knows people can’t just discipline their way to fitness and good health.
There’s a loooong line of Surgeon General’s with no contributions of any moment, but qualified professionals who are poor at messaging is usually inconsequential. (Bill Clinton’s strained nominee, Joycelyn Elders comes to mind) There’s real harm to be done with a professional “influencer” skilled at delivering all the wrong messages. Means may be a stammering and reluctant nominee, but once confirmed I expect we’ll witness a fantastical transformation into a confident, spirited advocate…of dangerous notions.
Casey Means has demonstrated an aversion to responsibility…she dropped out of a prestigious surgical residency before finishing….she did not pursue a regular medical license…she interacts with the public as an impersonal “influencer”….she regularly denies to stand up for her own education in refusing to answer basic medical/scientific questions…she hedges about causes she claims to believe in…
Why should she be rewarded with a position of responsibility for the nation’s health?
I did enjoy watching Dr. Bill Cassidy Kabuki theatre grilling of her about vaccines. Must see TV. She dodged, weaved and steadfastly refused to commit broadly on the value of vaccines. I get that: job prerequisite # one for a spot in Bobby's medically illterate HHS. Will Bill kill her confirmation? Not if he cares about winning his reelection primary he won't. IOW, does the sun set in the east? Of course it doesn't. Look to the west for your truth. She will sail ahead here, but Bill may end up getting beach wrecked due to violent seas. Will he have any practice in medicine to return to, in his post senator life? Methinks perhaps not.
Hard agree that no actual practicing physician is going to listen to a doctor who quit residency to become a "wellness influencer" or whatever she styles herself as. There are respectable careers for medical school graduates who discover clinical medicine isn't for them; this isn't one of them.
Means' comment that the vaccine is "effective on the population level" admits the possibility that in some rare instances people could suffer adverse reactions from the vaccine. That's also true with many reports of parents whose children "changed" after administration of childhood immunizations.
People searching for complete safety from vaccines ignore the societal health benefits gained from everyone being vaccinated, and the danger they present to the society by NOT being vaccinated. They also magnify the RISK associated with the very rare and highly unlikely negative results.
Some time back, I had a medical procedure and many negative outcomes were listed, including death. These results were VERY unlikely (explained the doctor), but given our litigious society, they were minimizing their legal exposure by explaining the risks.
Ben Franklin's son died from smallpox. Franklin wrote: "I long regretted bitterly and still regret that I had not given it to him by inoculation... my example showing that the regret may be the same either way, and that, therefore, the safer should be chosen".
Another clown who dodges serious questions just to be confirmed. The felon brings another unqualified nit wit to the Senate. The only thing fat boy can pick is his nose. Thanks Jonathan. You keep us informed and boy we need it.
"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'"
Can anyone be surprised that this Administration has put forth another completely unqualified candidate? I have little doubt that Mean's nomination will be advanced from committee for a full vote in the Senate. Similarly, I am highly skeptical that Senator Cassidy has learned anything from his past votes to advance and confirm Kennedy. Beyond any medical reservations he may have, Cassidy's upcoming primary will not allow him to alienate the MAHA base. Let us also not forget that he represents a state that last year voted to make ivermectin available from pharmacies without a prescription.
This is just another nomination a of a person who is both incompetent and unqualified for a cabinet-level position by the Project 2025 Maladministration and its Oath-Breaking leader.
"Lawrence Gostin, a distinguished university professor at Georgetown and widely respected public health scholar, told me. “She will not be trusted by the wide swath of the public, except for Secretary Kennedy’s political base in the MAHA movement.”"
Lawrence doesn't doesn't seem to understand that a "wide swath of the public" already believes in quackery, for example, demanding antibiotics as a treatment for viral infections. It's because of their beliefs that folks like Means have any traction at all...
Nobody needs a spine transplant. This woman is from start to finish unqualified. In fact, she’s disqualified. Her story about leaving residency doesn’t pass the smell test.
Permission to be unkind 🙋🏼♀️
When M appeared on Bill Maher last spring she was lean and very healthy looking. The two of them spent a lot of time declaring that people who are overweight simply aren’t disciplined or trying hard enough.
As a fit person who has children, the occasional injury, and crazy work hours I found that incredibly judgmental.
I was shocked - but also a bit pleased - to see that Means looked like pregnancy had added quite a lot of weight and given her a teenaged complexion. I wonder if she’s developed a little more compassion now that she knows people can’t just discipline their way to fitness and good health.
She’s just another unqualified clown in trump’s circus tent. 🤡🎪
There’s a loooong line of Surgeon General’s with no contributions of any moment, but qualified professionals who are poor at messaging is usually inconsequential. (Bill Clinton’s strained nominee, Joycelyn Elders comes to mind) There’s real harm to be done with a professional “influencer” skilled at delivering all the wrong messages. Means may be a stammering and reluctant nominee, but once confirmed I expect we’ll witness a fantastical transformation into a confident, spirited advocate…of dangerous notions.
Casey Means has demonstrated an aversion to responsibility…she dropped out of a prestigious surgical residency before finishing….she did not pursue a regular medical license…she interacts with the public as an impersonal “influencer”….she regularly denies to stand up for her own education in refusing to answer basic medical/scientific questions…she hedges about causes she claims to believe in…
Why should she be rewarded with a position of responsibility for the nation’s health?
I did enjoy watching Dr. Bill Cassidy Kabuki theatre grilling of her about vaccines. Must see TV. She dodged, weaved and steadfastly refused to commit broadly on the value of vaccines. I get that: job prerequisite # one for a spot in Bobby's medically illterate HHS. Will Bill kill her confirmation? Not if he cares about winning his reelection primary he won't. IOW, does the sun set in the east? Of course it doesn't. Look to the west for your truth. She will sail ahead here, but Bill may end up getting beach wrecked due to violent seas. Will he have any practice in medicine to return to, in his post senator life? Methinks perhaps not.
Hard agree that no actual practicing physician is going to listen to a doctor who quit residency to become a "wellness influencer" or whatever she styles herself as. There are respectable careers for medical school graduates who discover clinical medicine isn't for them; this isn't one of them.
Means' comment that the vaccine is "effective on the population level" admits the possibility that in some rare instances people could suffer adverse reactions from the vaccine. That's also true with many reports of parents whose children "changed" after administration of childhood immunizations.
People searching for complete safety from vaccines ignore the societal health benefits gained from everyone being vaccinated, and the danger they present to the society by NOT being vaccinated. They also magnify the RISK associated with the very rare and highly unlikely negative results.
Some time back, I had a medical procedure and many negative outcomes were listed, including death. These results were VERY unlikely (explained the doctor), but given our litigious society, they were minimizing their legal exposure by explaining the risks.
Ben Franklin's son died from smallpox. Franklin wrote: "I long regretted bitterly and still regret that I had not given it to him by inoculation... my example showing that the regret may be the same either way, and that, therefore, the safer should be chosen".
The "safer" (vaccination) should be chosen.
I’m so glad the bulwark has you to stay on top of these health stories. So much news pushes so many important issues to the back burner. Thank you!
Another clown who dodges serious questions just to be confirmed. The felon brings another unqualified nit wit to the Senate. The only thing fat boy can pick is his nose. Thanks Jonathan. You keep us informed and boy we need it.
"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'"
Isaac Azimov
Can anyone be surprised that this Administration has put forth another completely unqualified candidate? I have little doubt that Mean's nomination will be advanced from committee for a full vote in the Senate. Similarly, I am highly skeptical that Senator Cassidy has learned anything from his past votes to advance and confirm Kennedy. Beyond any medical reservations he may have, Cassidy's upcoming primary will not allow him to alienate the MAHA base. Let us also not forget that he represents a state that last year voted to make ivermectin available from pharmacies without a prescription.
Yeah, what ever happened to,"first do no harm"
Great article, thanks Jonathan.
This is just another nomination a of a person who is both incompetent and unqualified for a cabinet-level position by the Project 2025 Maladministration and its Oath-Breaking leader.
The Senate will hurriedly approve her selection.
"Lawrence Gostin, a distinguished university professor at Georgetown and widely respected public health scholar, told me. “She will not be trusted by the wide swath of the public, except for Secretary Kennedy’s political base in the MAHA movement.”"
Lawrence doesn't doesn't seem to understand that a "wide swath of the public" already believes in quackery, for example, demanding antibiotics as a treatment for viral infections. It's because of their beliefs that folks like Means have any traction at all...
If I was questioning a future HHS administrator or surgeon general, I would ask the following.
"Can you provide the top 5 public health achievements in human history?"
A quick search reveals this from a CDC site:
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4850bx.htm
Ten Great Public Health Achievements -- United States, 1900-1999
Vaccination
Motor-vehicle safety
Safer workplaces
Control of infectious diseases
Decline in deaths from coronary heart disease and stroke
Safer and healthier foods
Healthier mothers and babies
Family planning
Fluoridation of drinking water
Recognition of tobacco use as a health hazard
I would put (and accept) the following into the top five (some variants of the above list):
Clean potable water
Waste segregation, treatment, and disposal
Antibiotics
Vaccinations
Preventative medicine