President Joe Biden's physician has addressed questions about a Parkinson's disease expert's frequent visits to the White House, stating that the specialist was not there to examine the president outside of annual physicals. In a letter released late Monday, Dr. Kevin O'Connor confirmed that Dr. Kevin Cannard, a neurologist who visited the White House eight times in eight months, provided care to others at the White House Medical Unit.
According to ABC News, O'Connor's letter stated that Cannard "was the neurological specialist that examined President Biden for each of his annual physicals." However, the physician emphasized that Cannard's visits were not specifically for presidential examinations.
The physician's explanation comes amidst ongoing scrutiny of President Biden's health and fitness for office. At 81 years old, Biden is the oldest serving US president, and his age has been a topic of discussion in the lead-up to the 2024 election.
🚨Watch this doctor's brutal assessment:
"If I put a medical student in front of a patient that was Joe Biden and that student came back and reported that the President had normal cognition and no diagnoses — that student would fail the exam. This is clearly some dementia." pic.twitter.com/KBn9TgE6LS
— Steve Cortes (@CortesSteve) July 8, 2024
"Prior to the pandemic, and following its end, [Cannard] has held regular Neurology clinics at the White House Medical Clinic in support of the thousands of active-duty members assigned in support of White House operations," O'Connor wrote. He added that many military personnel experience neurological issues related to their service, and Dr. Cannard regularly visits the White House Medical Unit as part of his general neurology practice. When questioned about these visits earlier on Monday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to confirm details, citing privacy concerns.
O'Connor's letter also addressed concerns about President Biden's health, noting that "President Biden has not seen a neurologist outside of his annual physical." He referred to his February 28 letter, which stated that Biden's last physical found no signs of Parkinson's disease.
O'Connor's letter provided a strong endorsement of Dr. Cannard and his work as the Neurology Consultant to the White House since 2012. "Dr. Cannard was chosen for this responsibility not because he is a movement disorder specialist, but because he is a highly trained and highly regarded neurologist here at Walter Reed and across the Military Health System, with a very wide expertise which makes him flexible to see a variety of patients and problems," he wrote.
O'Connor's February report stated that Biden continued to be "fit for duty and fully executes all of his responsibilities without any exemptions or accommodations." The report also detailed that an "extremely detailed neurologic exam was again reassuring in that there were no findings which would be consistent with any cerebellar or other central neurological disorder, such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's or ascending lateral sclerosis, nor are there any signs of cervical myelopathy."
