New Report Exposes MAHA’s Corrupting Influence in HHS and Beyond
Citing Report, Public Citizen Files an FTC Complaint Over Dr. Casey Means’ Suspected Influencer Marketing Violations
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement has gained significant influence over the US health care system, according to a new report by Public Citizen. With Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. at the head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), MAHA’s unscientific ideology and influencers have made their way into the mainstream.
The report, MAHA, Means, Money: MAHA’s influence in US health care means big money for Big Wellness, reveals how MAHA influencers exploit vulnerabilities in the American healthcare system by hawking unproven medical treatments and unregulated health supplements while fomenting distrust towards accredited healthcare providers.
Alongside the report, Public Citizen submitted a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) calling for an investigation into whether Dr. Casey Means, the current nominee for Surgeon General, has violated FTC policy on influencer marketing, citing multiple examples of undisclosed product advertisements.
“MAHA influencers’ messaging strikes a chord with many Americans because they accurately identify that much of the US health care system is beholden to corporate interests like Big Pharma and the insurance industry,” said Eileen O’Grady, a researcher in Public Citizen’s Congress Watch division. “But rather than fighting to lower drug prices, ensure safety for patients, or build a more equitable health system for all, they sell consumers their own version of the grift: excessive testing, unproven and underregulated health supplements, and assurances that only their products hold the key to better health. While MAHA influencers reap the benefits of lucrative sponsorship contracts and, in some cases, political appointments, regular Americans are once again being cheated.”
Key findings of the report include:
- While MAHA wellness influencers lambast conventional medicine, they have amassed their own wellness empires built on selling products and ideas based on distorted views of public health.
- Surgeon General nominee Dr. Casey Means has substantial conflicts of interest that may jeopardize her ability to serve the role effectively. Dr. Means’ metabolic testing company may have already benefitted from Secretary Kennedy’s promotion of wearable health tracking devices.
- Dr. Means has also potentially violated FTC rules on influencer marketing by failing to adequately disclose sponsorship relationships in dozens of web and social media posts promoting wellness products. In total, she failed to disclose her relationship 79 out of 140 (56%) times she promoted products from companies with which she has financial relationships.
- HHS senior advisor Calley Means, who has repeatedly used his platforms to promote dangerous and false health information, founded the company TrueMed which relies on a legally dubious business model.
- Leading MAHA figure Mark Hyman, who has close financial and personal ties to Kennedy, Mehmet Oz, and the Means siblings, oversees a wellness empire that stands to benefit significantly from HHS policies under Kennedy.