A Doctor's Big Day: Baby or Senate Hearing?

The Senate was all set to grill Dr. Casey Means, the new surgeon general pick, but life had other plans. She went into labor, so the hearing got postponed. No one's mad, though. A baby is pretty important. Dr. Means is a big deal in the health world. She's got her own ideas about how to tackle chronic diseases. She thinks we should focus on the root causes, not just slap a band-aid on symptoms. This idea is part of a bigger movement called "Make America Healthy Again, " led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. But Dr. Means isn't your average doctor. She's a health influencer and entrepreneur. She even wrote a book called "Good Energy" with her brother, Calley Means. In it, she talks about her belief in "plant medicine, " which includes using psychedelic mushrooms to treat certain conditions. That's a bit controversial, especially since those mushrooms are still illegal under federal law. Dr. Means is a Stanford grad, but she left her residency early. She felt traditional medicine was too focused on prescription drugs. She's more than 40 weeks pregnant and was two days past her due date when she went into labor. This is her first child with her husband, Brian Nickerson. The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) was ready to hear her out, but now they'll have to wait. Chairman Sen. Bill Cassidy said they'd welcome her back when she's ready. So, for now, it's a waiting game.