Overview
- Senators from both parties pressed Means on vaccines as she affirmed that vaccines save lives but declined to urge measles or flu shots for all children, saying parents should consult their doctors and noting she accepts evidence against an autism link while adding that science is never settled.
- Questioned over past remarks on hormonal birth control, she said oral contraception should be available yet warned of serious risks in certain populations and argued that many patients do not receive robust informed‑consent counseling.
- Lawmakers challenged her qualifications, highlighting her inactive medical license and unfinished surgical residency, and she said she does not plan to reactivate her license as former surgeons general publicly questioned her suitability to lead the Commissioned Corps.
- Scrutiny of her financial ties focused on product endorsements and disclosure lapses reported by the Associated Press, and her ethics pledges commit her to resign from Levels, divest related holdings, end work with Rupa and avoid prohibited FDA‑listed interests if confirmed.
- If approved, she would be positioned to issue public health advisories and advance the MAHA prevention agenda on chronic disease and food policy, and the HELP Committee has yet to determine whether to advance her nomination.