In Washington, Calley Means has become a prominent figure within the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative, primarily by critiquing the perceived corruption within the U.S. healthcare system. Since being appointed as a White House adviser in March, Means, who serves as a top aide to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has been vocally critical of key physician groups, federal agencies, and government scientists. He accuses these entities of prioritizing their interests within the expansive $4.9 trillion-a-year health industry.
Means has described the American Medical Association as a mere extension of pharmaceutical lobbying, questioned the independence of the Food and Drug Administration, and criticized federal health scientists for their failures. Simultaneously, Means has personal financial interests tied to the health sector as the co-founder of Truemed, a platform promoting dietary supplements and wellness products. Several vendors on Truemed’s site support Kennedy’s MAHA movement, which often questions the efficacy of prescription drugs and vaccines.
Despite Kennedy’s promise of running the Department of Health and Human Services with transparency, Means has not been required to disclose his financial affairs publicly. Critics, like Dr. Reshma Ramachandran from Yale University, view this as a conflict of interest, suggesting he is using his government role for personal gain by promoting non-regulated product industries.
In response, Means claims his focus is on reforming larger issues such as nutrition programs and phasing out harmful food additives rather than on matters benefiting Truemed directly. Truemed’s unique model assists users in spending tax-free money from health savings accounts (HSAs) on non-traditional medical expenses, including homeopathic remedies—an approach the IRS cautioned against due to the possible mischaracterization of such expenses as medical. Though defying typical HSA use, Truemed maintains compliance with IRS guidelines, per co-founder Justin Mares.
The full extent of Means’ personal financial conflicts remains unclear because special government employees, like him, don’t need to fully divest from companies or publicly disclose their financial interests. Federal regulations still prevent all staff from engaging in activities directly benefiting their finances, yet Means continues to discuss HHS topics that overlap with his personal business interests. Recently, he advocated scaling back on prescription drugs in favor of lifestyle changes.
Former White House ethics lawyer Richard Painter expressed concerns that Means’ public commentaries on government work may undermine public trust due to potential financial conflicts. Means’ alignment with the MAHA movement’s skepticism of traditional medical establishments like big pharma and corporate colossi reflects apparent contradictions and underscores his influence.
With no formal medical background and an MBA from Harvard, Means’ endeavors in the health sector trace back to personal motives after his mother’s death from pancreatic cancer. Subsequent experiences led him and his sister, Dr. Casey Means, to champion wellness through a newly released book and startup ventures. Casey was also recently nominated as surgeon general, stirring debate over her credentials.
Through his engagements, Means continues to advocate for broader acceptance of wellness products, even promoting offerings from his business partners. His endorsements, including services from companies like Function Health, remain unregulated by authorities such as the FDA. Experts like Dr. Peter Lurie warn that this business model sidesteps vigorous approval processes required for traditionally regulated health products.
Truemed’s model involves products that generally don’t meet normal medical expense criteria under HSA rules. These rules demand purchases be medically necessary, a stipulation Truemed circumvents via physician-approved documentation stating the potential medical benefits. While some support the service, financial advisors warn consumers should be prepared to justify such spending.
Means is eyeing further expansion of HSAs to enable more flexible healthcare spending, aligning with long-standing Republican policies. Critics argue such expansions, which have yet to curb healthcare spending, primarily benefit wealthier Americans rather than broad economic demographics. Proposed expansions in Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” could result in significant revenue losses for the government, further diverting federal resources from programs like Medicaid to wellness product spending.
The debate over HSAs highlights the ongoing conflict between expanding consumer choice and ensuring substantive medical coverage, raising critical questions about resource allocation priorities.