00:02In Washington, President Trump's pick for Surgeon General faced pointed questions on vaccines, birth control, pesticides, and her own qualifications
00:12during a tense Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday.
00:15Dr. Casey Means, a Stanford-trained physician, wellness entrepreneur, and ally of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., was pressed
00:24repeatedly on whether she would advocate for routine vaccinations as the nation's top doctor.
00:29But she stopped short of fully endorsing them.
00:32Senate Health Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, a physician himself, asked Means directly whether she accepts the scientific evidence that vaccines
00:40do not cause autism.
00:42And we do not know, as a medical community, what causes autism.
00:47The administration has just committed a huge amount of funding to look at the exposome of all environmental factors that
00:53could be contributing to autism.
00:55And until we have a clear understanding of why kids are developing this at higher rates, I think we should
01:02not leave any stones unturned.
01:04There's been a lot of evidence showing that they're not implicated.
01:07Do you not accept that evidence?
01:08I do accept that evidence.
01:10I also think that science is never settled.
01:12The exchange echoed broader concerns about Kennedy's overhaul of federal vaccine messaging.
01:19As health secretary, Kennedy has removed longstanding language from CDC materials, stating that vaccines do not cause autism.
01:27Democrats also challenged Means over past comments on birth control.
01:31You called birth control pills, and I'm going to quote, a disrespect of life, and you said Americans, quote, use
01:40birth control pills like candy.
01:42You also claimed, contrary to established science, that hormonal birth control has, quote, horrifying health risks for women.
01:50I'm curious if you're aware of what the side effects of hormonal contraception are.
01:54I'm curious if you are with the FDA that went through all of these and rigorously looked at them, or
02:02as Surgeon General, if you're going to tell the truth to the American people.
02:06Beyond vaccines and contraception, Senator's question means about past financial ties to wellness products, her inactive medical license, and comments
02:16about pesticides and psychedelic therapy.
02:18She pledged to divest from health-related business interests, if confirmed, and said she takes conflicts of interest seriously.
02:26The Surgeon General post has been vacant for more than a year.
02:30The committee now will decide whether to advance her nomination to the full Senate.
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