Joe Biden and health concerns: doubts about Parkinson’s disease

The American president, Joe Bidentoday led the meeting for the 75 years of NATO, amid doubts about his health status and the possibility that he could complete the next four years of his mandate, if he wins the elections. There have been rumors that he may have Parkinson’s.

At the meeting of the Atlantic Alliance Biden announced that the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Italy will provide Ukraine with five air defense systems, including four Patriots, in the coming months.

Will Joe Biden finish his term?

Earlier, her spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre had to answer whether Biden would commit to serving a second full term if re-elected, to which she replied with a brief “yes.”

On the other hand, today the Pentagon spokesman, Brigadier General Pat Ryder, also affirmed that the US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, has “total confidence” in the capabilities of the American president.

In addition, on Capitol Hill, the most influential Democratic leaders, who are in their eighties like the president, closed ranks around the president’s candidacy for re-election.

Joe Biden’s health and age: what’s wrong with him?

The reason for all these uncertainties was the president’s terrible performance in the presidential debate on June 27, where he spoke with a hoarse voice and had difficulty finishing some sentences.

Biden, who at 81 is the oldest president in US history, would leave power at 86 if he serves the full four years of his term and beats former Republican President Donald Trump (2017-2021) in the November 5 election.

Read. Joe Biden continues campaigning and assures that the world is watching the United States

Administration officials have said the confusing and sometimes indecipherable responses in the debate were the result of a cold, jet lag and poor preparation at Camp David. Below are several questions the spokeswoman was asked about the president’s health.

Has the president consulted a neurologist?

“He has seen a neurologist three times,” Jean-Pierre said. “No more than that.”
The White House spokeswoman repeated the phrase “three times” 17 times during Monday’s press briefing. She emphasized that the three consultations with a neurologist were linked to the president’s annual physical exams.

But Jean-Pierre declined to say where Biden had seen the neurologist, whether the consultations took place at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center or elsewhere. “I have nothing to say regarding the location,” he said.

Have Joe Biden’s medical tests found signs of Parkinson’s disease or other neurological diseases?

No, according to the report of the president’s most recent medical examination, issued in February. The letter said that “an extremely detailed neurological examination was again reassuring” in that there were no findings consistent with a stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson disease nor amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The letter added that no tremors or “motor weaknesses” were detected. Written by Biden’s doctor, O’Connor, the letter added that Biden “demonstrates excellent fine motor skills.”

Why did a neurologist specializing in Parkinson’s disease visit the White House?

Visitor records show that Dr. Kevin Cannard—a neurologist who has conducted research on the Parkinson disease— visited the White House eight times between July 2023 and last March.

Jean-Pierre declined to confirm the doctor’s name or say why he had come to the White House. He told reporters it was for security reasons, noting that the White House medical unit treats people other than the president.

Letter from Joe Biden’s doctor

Hours later on Monday, O’Connor released a letter with permission from Biden and Cannard and confirmed that Cannard had been the neurologist who examined the president in each of the three medical exams he has undergone since taking office.

But most of Cannard’s visits to the White House were as part of his role as a specialist with the White House Medical Unit, treating patients for a wide variety of neurological problems at the White House for 12 years, O’Connor said.

Cannard made similar visits during President Barack Obama’s administration, according to visitor logs, and during the Trump administration — which did not release visitor logs — according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity.

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