A leading expert on Parkinson’s disease met with US President Joe Biden’s doctor at the White House earlier this year, according to records, although the circumstances of the meeting are unclear.
Dr. Kevin Cannard, a neurologist at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, met with White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor in mid-January, according to White House visitor logs.
Asked about the visit, White House spokesman Andrew Bates said: “A wide range of specialists from the Walter Reed system visit the White House complex to treat the thousands of military personnel who work there.”
Those visits include an annual visit to a neurologist for Biden’s physical, Bates noted. The president has not seen a neurologist during his presidency beyond the context of an annual physical, he added.
Cannard, who worked as a neurologist for Walter Reed for more than a decade, visited the White House several times, according to visitor logs, which do not detail the reasons for the visit.
The data also does not indicate whether Cannard was making the visit for Biden or someone else who works in the White House.
White House Medical Report
Joe Biden’s latest health report, released by O’Connor, indicated that the president had been tested for a number of neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s, with negative results, as did two other physical reports from Biden’s time as president.
O’Connor’s six-page document, released after the president underwent his last physical examination in February, says several experts were consulted about the physical, including a neurology specialist.
The report also highlights that O’Connor called in several experts, including an unnamed neurological movement disorder specialist, to analyze Biden’s stiff gait, which had been noted since his November 2021 physical exam.
That team concluded that Biden’s stiff gait was the result of “wear and tear” on his spine and not a neurological condition, O’Connor wrote.
An “extremely detailed” examination yielded no findings consistent with Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis or other neurological disorders.
Biden’s fitness questioned
News of Cannard’s visit comes as Joe Biden’s age, physical fitness and mental acuity are under intense scrutiny following a poor performance in the presidential debate. CNN, held on June 27, against former President Donald Trump.
In the 11 days since, Biden has had to defend his position at the top of the Democratic ticket and his ability to govern for another four years if reelected.
Both the White House and the Democrat were asked repeatedly about testing and medical appointments in the months leading up to the debate and in the aftermath.
Biden was asked in an ABC interview on Friday (5) whether he had taken specific tests for cognitive ability.
The president responded that he is regularly seen by White House doctors, adding: “Nobody said I had to… they said I’m fine.”
The head of state also added that he spoke to his doctor and was told: “You are exhausted.”
Biden then said that “being president” means “I get a full neurological test every day.”
Biden confirms Parkinson’s test
During an interview with Biden on Monday morning, MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski specifically asked if he had recently been tested for Parkinson’s. Biden confirmed that he had.
“Have you had any tests for any age-related conditions, pre-Parkinson’s or anything like that, that might explain a night like that where you couldn’t finish your sentences?” the presenter asked.
Biden laughed before replying: “I’ve done it before.”
The president added: “I was feeling so bad before the debate, when I came back, they tested me for… I thought maybe I had Covid, maybe there was something wrong, I had an infection or something. They tested me, they gave me those tests, I was clean.”
The White House and Biden’s campaign blamed Biden’s poor performance during the debate on a busy travel schedule in the weeks leading up to the debate and a cold. The president had been to France to commemorate the D-Day anniversary and Italy to attend the G7 summit.
The White House initially said Biden had not been seen by a doctor after the debate, but backtracked after Biden told a group of governors during a meeting last week that he had undergone a medical check-up after the debate and was doing well.
*Arlette Saenz, from CNN, contributed to this report
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
