Media Contact
Dr. Casey Means, a Stanford-trained physician and wellness influencer associated with the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, has been nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as U.S. Surgeon General. The nomination is the latest example of the administration’s disregard for scientific expertise and evidence-based policy, say two Cornell University experts.
Roxana Muenster
Doctoral Student
Roxana Muenster, is a doctoral student whose research examines the relationship between health and political ideology on social media.
Muenster says:
“Casey Means’ nomination for Surgeon General further cements this administration’s descent into pseudoscience and misinformation. It is also yet another example of how alternative health and wellness views can merge with dangerous conspiracies.
“Means furthers the conspiracy theory that the medical system is corrupt and only out to profit from patients. At the same time, she herself has a long history of not only casting doubt on medicine and science, but also directly profiting from that misinformation by advertising supposed treatments and cures – ironically, exactly what she accuses the medical system of.
“Her views on health matters like birth control, fluoride, and mental illness are worrisome enough as a wellness influencer. They are even more troubling now that she will be spreading them as the primary spokesperson on public health with the weight of the federal government behind her.”
Gordon Pennycook
Associate Professor of Psychology
Gordon Pennycook, an associate professor of psychology, studies misinformation.
Pennycook says:
“The nomination of Casey Means, a social media ‘wellness influencer,’ is yet another indication of the explicit anti-science stance of the Trump administration. Instead of nominating someone who is dedicated to using empirical research to try to improve Americans’ health, we have a nominee who exploits public misunderstandings about health to promote untested ‘alternatives’ for financial gain.”
