Report: Parkinson's expert in the White House several times
Each day, questions about Joe Biden's mental fitness as the US President are becoming louder. Now there are reports that a neurologist has visited the White House multiple times. Is Dr. Kevin Cannard, a Parkinson expert at Walter Reed Medical Center, involved in Biden's care?
At 81 years old, Joe Biden is now the oldest president the USA has ever had. However, until recently, he was still considered a front-runner for the next elections in November among Democrats. But after the debate with his Republican challenger Donald Trump, doubts about Biden's health have been growing louder every day. Even the interview he gave to ABC journalist George Stephanopoulos in response to his poor performance in the debate could not alleviate concerns about Biden's mental fitness to serve another four years.
Stephanopoulos, who was Communications Director in the White House under President Bill Clinton, asked Biden if he had undergone any tests for cognitive performance. "Nobody has told me that I have to do that ... they said I'm good," Biden replied.
However, there are now media reports that cast doubt on Biden's health in a different light. The "New York Post" reports, citing visit records, that a well-known Washington neurologist, Dr. Kevin Cannard, has visited the White House multiple times. According to the report, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, Biden's osteopath since his inauguration in January 2021, had previously declared Biden fit for duty after an examination in February.
"Good Morning, Mr. President"
This fitness examination, which took place at Walter Reed Medical Center, included a neurological assessment. Parkinson's disease was explicitly ruled out in the medical bulletin. At the time, representatives of the White House stated that a special cognitive test had not been administered to Biden because O'Connor and the neurologist had decided it was unnecessary.
In March, O'Connor told an osteopathic medical journal that his most important task was to say "Good Morning, Mr. President" every day. The "Washington Post" reported on Saturday that a White House staffer had said O'Connor had never recommended that Biden undergo a cognitive test.
According to the newspaper, there have been a total of eight documented visits by Cannard since August 2023. At seven of these visits, Cannard met with Megan Nasworthy, a liaison person between Walter Reed Hospital and the White House. On January 17, there was a direct meeting between Cannard and O'Connor. According to the report, Dr. John E. Atwood, a cardiologist at Walter Reed, was also present.
No Comment
In the ABC interview, Stephanopoulos had repeatedly pressed Biden to undergo an independent neurological and cognitive evaluation and make the results public. "I will undergo a cognitive test every day," Biden said. "I'm not just campaigning, but I'm also running the world."
According to his LinkedIn profile, Cannard has been working as a "Neurology Specialist to support the medical department of the White House" since 2012. His most recent scientific publication was published in August 2023 in the journal Parkinsonism & Related Disorders and focuses on the "Early Stages" of the debilitating disease.
Both Cannard and cardiologist Atwood reportedly declined comments to the newspaper regarding the report. A White House spokesperson stated: "A multitude of specialists from the Walter Reed System visit the White House complex to treat thousands of military personnel who are working on the grounds."
Given Biden's increasing concerns about his mental fitness due to his age and recent performances, speculations about his health have intensified. Amidst these discussions, reports suggest that Dr. Kevin Cannard, a Parkinson's disease expert at Walter Reed Medical Center, has visited the White House multiple times.
Joe Biden's health has been a topic of debate, particularly after the neural assessments conducted at Walter Reed Medical Center, where Dr. Kevin Cannard, known for his expertise in Parkinson's disease, was involved.
