Biden's spokeswoman denies Parkinson's disease
A press conference in Washington took place regarding an interview: Why did a Parkinson specialist visit the White House eight times in a year? Biden's spokesperson denies that the US President may be suffering from the condition. However, she avoids answering questions on the matter.
A media report about a Parkinson specialist's visits to the White House sparked a heated exchange between the present press and Biden's spokesperson, Karine Jean-Pierre. "Is the President being treated for Parkinson? No. Is he being treated for Parkinson? No, he isn't. Does he take medication for Parkinson? No," Jean-Pierre stated. At the same time, she urged the journalists to behave respectfully. "There's no reason for you to interrogate me in this aggressive manner," she told journalist Ed O'Keefe from the US broadcaster CBS at one point.
The "New York Times" had previously reported, citing official visitor protocols, that an expert in Parkinson had visited the White House eight times since the previous summer. The newspaper added that it was unclear whether the doctor from the Walter Reed Military Medical Center had visited specifically because of the President or for other reasons. The expert himself reportedly worked as a "neurological advisor to the medical department of the White House and the President's doctor" from 2012 to 2022. Documents showed the newspaper that the expert had also visited the White House during this period.
Biden's Spokesperson deflects questions
Biden's spokesperson refused to answer questions about the specialist's visits to the White House in the past few months. She did not reveal the purpose of the doctor's visits or which specialists the 81-year-old Biden consulted. "We cannot disclose the names of the specialists, from a dermatologist to a neurologist," she said. "It doesn't matter how much you pressure me, it doesn't matter how angry you are," she added in response to multiple inquiries about the visits. The President undergoes an annual health check, during which he consults a neurologist. "So I'm telling you that he has visited a neurologist three times during his presidency."
In Biden's publicly released health report from late February, it was stated that there were no signs of possible strokes or Parkinson's disease and that the President "did not exhibit a tremor." Parkinson's disease is a nervous system disorder that primarily affects older people. The cause of the condition, also known as tremors, is the death of nerve cells in the brain. They then no longer produce dopamine, which the body normally uses to control movements. Numerous symptoms result: tremors, tense muscles, gait and balance disorders. Additionally, there is a monotone and low-pitched speech, as well as a rigid facial expression.
Despite the ongoing speculations, Biden's spokesperson emphasized that there's no medical reason for concerns about Joe Biden's health, specifically related to Parkinson's disease. In response to queries about the frequent visits of a Parkinson's specialist to the White House, she reiterated, "Joe Biden is not being treated for Parkinson's disease."
