Overview
- The Senate HELP Committee confirmed the postponement after the nominee went into labor, and no new hearing date has been set.
- Means had been slated to appear virtually for her confirmation, drawing heightened attention to a contentious review of her record.
- The Stanford-trained physician lacks an active medical license and left her surgical residency in 2018, fueling questions about her suitability for the post.
- In ethics filings, she pledged to resign from Levels, divest related interests, and halt product promotions and book marketing if confirmed.
- Senators and public-health experts cite conflicts and past statements on vaccines and birth control, with an AP probe finding some endorsements lacked profit disclosures; she is closely aligned with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the MAHA agenda.