Trump's selected surgeon general leverages her substantial online presence for financial gains.
A Fresh Take on the U.S. Surgeon General Nominee's Tangled Web
Here's the lowdown on Casey Means, President Trump's pick for Surgeon General. Touted as an outspoken critic of special interests and crony capitalism in healthcare, she's got a secretlife of her own.
Means, 37, is no stranger to the wellness industry, having built a niche for herself as a health influencer promoting products like specialty basil seed supplements, blood testing services, and prepared meal delivery services. Frustratingly, she sometimes fails to disclose her ties to these businesses or her potential profit from their sales, according to The Associated Press' review. This isn't exclusive to Means, who isn't the only online influencer who sometimes skips over federal transparency rules that require such disclosure.
But for a future Surgeon General, these business entanglements raise red flags about potential conflicting interests. After all, the role is about giving the American people the most accurate, unbiased scientific information to improve their health.
Enter Jeff Hauser, executive director of the Revolving Door Project. He's concerned she might cultivate future employers, sponsors, or business partners while in office.
Means' entrepreneurship and influence haven't stopped her from taking aim at doctors, scientists, and government officials for being "bought off" or "corrupt" due to their industry ties. Yet, her use of affiliate marketing and other methods to generate income from her product recommendations raises questions about whether she's influenced by a different set of special interests: those of the wellness industry.
Means carved her path in the industry after dropping out of her residency program in 2018 and leaving her medical license inactive. She turned to alternative approaches to combat what she's described as widespread metabolic dysfunction caused by poor nutrition and an overabundance of ultra-processed foods. With a compelling origin story that details her disillusionment with conventional medicine, she co-founded Levels, a nutrition, sleep, and exercise tracking app that also provides insights from blood tests and continuous glucose monitors.
Her critique of the medical system as incentivized to keep patients sick and coming back for treatments has earned her a growing following. On Instagram, she boasts 825,000 followers, and her newsletter reaches an estimated 200,000 subscribers.
Clearly, her influence extends beyond the medical sector to the world of social media and internet marketing. Emily Hund, author of "The Influencer Industry," notes that these marketing practices are spreading to more sectors of our lives. Influencer marketing has become increasingly lucrative for those with large followings, especially younger generations, who receive payments or product benefits in exchange for other promotions. However, many consumers don't realize that celebrities or influencers endorsing products might profit from their advertising.
To highlight an example, during an interview on Megyn Kelly's podcast, Means mentioned Daily Harvest, a frozen prepared food brand, without disclosing her business relationship with the company. She promoted this brand in a book she published last year as well.
Through affiliate marketing programs, influencers like Means can sign up to receive a percentage of sales or other benefits when someone clicks through and buys a product using a unique link or code provided by the influencer. Influencers like Means have used these links to promote a range of products on Amazon, including fitness and sleep trackers, protein powder, supplements, and Daily Harvest.
While these practices are not necessarily illegal, they raise questions about Means' objectivity and potential influence by the companies she promotes. Not to mention, they could lead to a conflict of interest if she were to follow Trump into office.
But, what's good for the goose should be good for the gander. Means has been a vocal critic of scientists, regulators, and doctors being swayed by the influence of industry. So, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree as she partners with companies like Function Health and Zen Basil, promoting their products without disclosing her affiliate relationship.
The potential for these connections and conflicts has sparked heated debate about whether influencers like Means should be allowed to enter government without cleaning up their act. After all, if you can't trust a Surgeon General to tell it straight about tobacco, social media, or even caffeinated alcoholic beverages, perhaps it's time to reconsider who we let into the inner circles of power.
- Casey Means, the Surgeon General nominee, has ties to various businesses in the health, technology, and lifestyle sectors, such as specialty basil seed supplements, blood testing services, and prepared meal delivery services.
- The government, in its role, is supposed to provide the American people with accurate, unbiased scientific information for health improvement.
- Means' entrepreneurial activities and influence have raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest for a future Surgeon General.
- Jeff Hauser, the Revolving Door Project's executive director, expressed concerns about Means' potential future employers, sponsors, or business partners.
- Means' use of affiliate marketing and other methods to generate income from her product recommendations has raised questions about her objectivity and potential influence by the wellness industry.
- Emily Hund, author of "The Influencer Industry," notes that influencer marketing practices are spreading to various sectors, including social media and internet marketing.
- Influencers like Means, who have large followings, can profit from their advertising by promoting products on platforms like Amazon, such as fitness and sleep trackers, protein powder, supplements, and Daily Harvest.
- The potential for conflicts of interest arising from Means' partnerships with companies like Function Health, Zen Basil, and Daily Harvest has sparked debates about whether influencers should be allowed to enter governmental positions without proper disclosures.
- If the public can't trust a Surgeon General to provide unbiased information about health-related topics such as tobacco, social media, or caffeinated alcoholic beverages, it might be time to reevaluate who is allowed in the inner circles of power.
