Surgeon General nominee is a prescription for ‘pseudoscience’

Psychology

5/9/2025

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, says a Cornell University expert.

Gordon Pennycook, an associate professor of psychology, studies misinformation. He 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.”