The White House clarified on Monday that US President Joe Biden is not undergoing treatment for Parkinson's disease and has not consulted a neurologist beyond his regular annual check-ups. This statement followed a report by The New York Times that visitor logs indicated a specialist in the disease had visited the White House at least eight times between August and March.
Concerns about Biden's health escalated after he appeared unsteady, weak, and occasionally lost his train of thought during a debate with Republican Donald Trump on June 27. Dr. Kevin O'Connor, the White House physician, released a letter affirming that Biden has not seen a neurologist outside of his routine annual physicals.
Biden is facing criticism from some Democrats who doubt his mental sharpness to be their candidate against Trump in the November 5 presidential election. Despite this, Biden has vowed to continue his campaign, stating in a phone interview with MSNBC on Monday that he is "not going anywhere".
A review of White House visitor logs by Reuters revealed that Dr. Kevin Cannard, a neurologist specializing in movement disorders from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, visited the White House eight times from August through March. Cannard has collaborated on research about early Parkinson's disease treatment at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
O'Connor explained that Cannard's visits were part of his neurological clinics to support "thousands" of active duty members serving in the White House, not to treat the president. These visits were initially reported by The New York Post on July 6.
A former White House official, who worked with Biden both as vice president under Barack Obama and as president, was treated by Cannard for migraines in 2016. The official noted that Cannard visited the White House monthly as part of his rotation.
White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre declined to confirm or expand on Cannard's visits earlier in the day. During a media briefing, she faced numerous questions from reporters and emphasized the need to respect the privacy of all involved for security reasons. She mentioned that Biden had seen a neurologist three times in relation to his annual physical exam but did not elaborate on Cannard's role at the White House, suggesting it might be related to the medical care of military personnel stationed there.
