GEOFF BENNETT: The White House is expected to release a report tomorrow about potential contributing factors of childhood diseases.

It's leading to renewed questions about the so-called make America healthy again, or MAHA, agenda championed by President Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Another voice central to the MAHA movement is Dr. Casey Means, President Trump's new pick to serve as surgeon general after he withdrew his first nominee.

Ali Rogin takes a closer look at Means' background and policies she would push for if confirmed.

ALI ROGIN: Though she's been nominated by President Trump to be U.S. surgeon general, Casey Means prefers to call herself a metabolic health evangelist, a physician turned wellness influencer with hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.

A hero of the so-called MAHA movement, make America healthy again, Means has close ties to HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. She was a close adviser last year during his presidential run.

In announcing her nomination, Mr. Trump said: "Casey has impeccable MAHA credentials."

DONALD TRUMP, President of the United States: Bobby really thought she was good.

I don't know her.

I listened to the recommendation of Bobby.

I met her yesterday and once before.

She's a very outstanding person, a great academic, actually.

So I think she will be great.

DR. CASEY MEANS, U.S.

Surgeon General Nominee: It's kind of the best part, right?

ALI ROGIN: But Means has no government experience and is not a practicing doctor.

She did graduate from Stanford Medical School in 2014, but dropped out of her residency program several years later because she came to view the health care system as exploitative.

DR. CASEY MEANS: It's not an overstatement to say that I learned virtually nothing at Stanford Medical School about the tens of thousands of scientific papers that elucidate these root causes of why American health is plummeting and how environmental factors are causing it.

VANI HARI, Blogger, Food Babe: People are really drawn to her and her message, and that's why she has so many followers and why she has a voice online.

ALI ROGIN: Vani Hari is a food activist who has built a community through her popular Food Babe Web site.

She has known Casey Means for years and says Means wants Americans to become the CEOs of their own health.

VANI HARI: Many of the chronic diseases that we're facing in this country can be reversed with lifestyle changes.

And this is what Americans need to hear and have guidance on, which is something that we have not gotten from our government agencies.

ALI ROGIN: But Means' nomination to one of the most visible public health roles in the country has spurred a vigorous debate.

DR. CASEY MEANS: You want to get the most diversity of color possible in your diet.

WILL STONE, NPR: She doesn't have a kind of scalable leadership experience in public health, and that is such a big part of the job.

ALI ROGIN: Will Stone covers health care policy for National Public Radio.

WILL STONE: If you speak to former surgeon generals, they will say they don't think she's qualified because she does not have the kind of robust clinical experience that you would typically expect in the nation's top doctor, basically.

ALI ROGIN: Along with her brother, Calley, who is a top adviser to Kennedy at HHS, Means wrote a bestselling book last year called "Good Energy," which argues that -- quote -- "metabolic dysfunction" due to poor diets and sedentary lifestyles is the root cause of chronic diseases.

She's endorsed the health benefits of raw milk and says birth control pills are overprescribed and signal a disrespect of life.

Means has gained prominence with appearances on high-profile podcasts with Joe Rogan and Tucker Carlson, decrying the influence of big pharma.

DR. CASEY MEANS: These subtle insidious forces that are creating slow, progressive illness starting now in fetal life that allow patients to be profitable and on the pharma treadmill for their entire lives.

They make us sick, but they don't kill us, and then we are drugged for life.

VANI HARI: We need to tell people the truth about why we are so sick and what's been done to our food.

ALI ROGIN: Means' views on many health issues closely align with Kennedys on food safety and environmental toxins.

She's also questioned some vaccine policies, calling the vaccine schedule for children insane and calling vaccine mandates criminal.

DR. CASEY MEANS: I bet that one vaccine probably isn't causing autism, but what about the 20 that they're getting before 18 months?

ALI ROGIN: Means' nomination has drawn criticism not just from the medical community, but also from conservative Trump allies.

Far right activist Laura Loomer ridiculed her on social media as a total crackpot who uses shrooms as plant medicine and talks to trees.

And Kennedy's former running mate, Nicole Shanahan, has also come out against Means' nomination.

WILL STONE: So much of this position is about messaging.

Even though she may not be able to shape policy in really strong ways, she can certainly trumpet certain ideas, as she does already pretty effectively on social media.

And there are concerns that some of those -- that some of that messaging will not be evidence-based and will actually be harmful for public health.

ALI ROGIN: But Vani Hari says Means' training in the medical establishment and her advocacy outside of it shows that she has expertise and credibility.

VANI HARI: This is the basis of her story.

This is what's made her such a courageous leader to give away such a prestigious career.

The make America healthy again movement is broader than just vaccines.

It's about food, it's about toxins, it's about other pharmaceuticals, it's about lifestyle interventions.

And so we need someone with a broad perspective about how to address each one of these topics.

And Casey represents that.

ALI ROGIN: The U.S. surgeon general is not required to be a practicing physician, only that they have -- quote -- "specialized training or significant experience in public health programs."

Means' nomination must be confirmed by the Senate.

A hearing date has not yet been set.

For the "PBS News Hour," I'm Ali Rogin.