President Joe Biden’s White Home doctor issued a memo late Monday dismissing hypothesis that Biden has been seeing a Parkinson’s illness skilled.
What You Want To Know
- President Joe Biden’s White Home doctor issued a memo late Monday dismissing hypothesis that Biden has been seeing a Parkinson’s illness skilled
- Dr. Kevin O’Connor wrote that Biden, 81, has not seen a neurologist outdoors of his bodily
- O’Connor added that Cannard has held common neurology clinics on the White Home for years for the hundreds of active-duty navy members assigned to White Home operations
- O’Connor’s memo got here hours after The New York Occasions reported on Cannard’s visits to the White Home
Dr. Kevin O’Connor wrote within the memo to White Home press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre that neurologist Dr. Kevin Cannard was amongst a spread of specialists who has examined Biden throughout his annual physicals. Biden, 81, has not seen a neurologist outdoors of his bodily, O’Connor mentioned.
O’Connor added that Cannard, the neurology guide to the White Home Medical Unit since 2012, has held common neurology clinics on the White Home for years for the hundreds of active-duty navy members assigned to White Home operations.
“Many navy personnel expertise neurological points associated to their service, and Dr. Cannard often visits the WHMU as a part of this Common Neurology follow,” O’Connor wrote.
O’Connor famous that Cannard’s evaluation of Biden throughout his bodily was made public in February.
“A particularly detailed neurologic examination was once more reassuring in that there have been no findings which might be according to any cerebellar or different central neurological dysfunction, corresponding to stroke, a number of sclerosis, Parkinson’s or ascending lateral sclerosis, nor are there any indicators of cervical myelopathy,” O’Connor wrote in Biden’s well being abstract then.
Parkinson’s illness is a degenerative mind situation that impacts the nervous system and the elements of the physique managed by the nerves.
O’Connor’s memo got here hours after The New York Occasions reported on Cannard’s visits to the White Home and reporters pressed Jean-Pierre for particulars throughout Monday’s White Home briefing.
Jean-Pierre pressured that Biden isn’t being handled for Parkinson’s, however she declined to elaborate on Cannard’s presence on the White Home, citing privateness considerations. She wouldn’t affirm the physician’s identify.
O’Connor wrote that “within the pursuits of accuracy,” he acquired permission from Biden and Cannard to share particulars in his memo.
“Seeing sufferers on the White Home is one thing that Dr. Cannard has been doing for a dozen years,” O’Connor wrote. “Dr. Cannard was chosen for this duty not as a result of he’s a motion dysfunction specialist, however as a result of he’s a extremely skilled and extremely regarded neurologist right here at Walter Reed [National Military Medical Center] and throughout the Navy Well being System, with a really large experience which makes him versatile to see quite a lot of sufferers and issues.”
The hypothesis about Biden’s well being comes lower than two weeks after his devastating debate efficiency, by which he appeared at occasions to lose his practice of thought. The exhibiting has prompted some calls from throughout the Democratic Celebration for Biden to withdraw from the presidential race.
On Monday, Biden despatched a letter to Democratic lawmakers saying he’s “firmly dedicated to staying on this race” and calling for an “finish” to speak throughout the social gathering about the way forward for his candidacy.