Biden’s doctor dismisses Parkinson’s disease speculation

President Joe Biden’s White House physician issued a memo late Monday dismissing speculation that Biden has been seeing a Parkinson’s disease expert.

Dr. Kevin O’Connor wrote in the memo to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre that neurologist Dr. Kevin Cannard was among a range of specialists who has examined Biden during his annual physicals. Biden, 81, has not seen a neurologist outside of his physical, O’Connor said.

O’Connor added that Cannard, the neurology consultant to the White House Medical Unit since 2012, has held regular neurology clinics at the White House for years for the thousands of active-duty military members assigned to White House operations.

“Many military personnel experience neurological issues related to their service, and Dr. Cannard regularly visits the WHMU as part of this General Neurology practice,” O’Connor wrote.

O’Connor noted that Cannard’s assessment of Biden during his physical was made public in February. 

“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,” O’Connor wrote in Biden’s health summary then.

Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative brain condition that affects the nervous system and the parts of the body controlled by the nerves.

O’Connor’s memo came hours after The New York Times reported on Cannard’s visits to the White House and reporters pressed Jean-Pierre for details during Monday’s White House briefing.

Jean-Pierre stressed that Biden is not being treated for Parkinson’s, but she declined to elaborate on Cannard’s presence at the White House, citing privacy concerns. She would not confirm the doctor’s name. 

O’Connor wrote that “in the interests of accuracy,” he received permission from Biden and Cannard to share details in his memo.

“Seeing patients at the White House is something that Dr. Cannard has been doing for a dozen years,” O’Connor wrote. “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 [National Military Medical Center] and across the Military Health System, with a very wide expertise which makes him flexible to see a variety of patients and problems.”

The speculation about Biden’s health comes less than two weeks after his devastating debate performance, in which he appeared at times to lose his train of thought. The showing has prompted some calls from within the Democratic Party for Biden to withdraw from the presidential race.

On Monday, Biden sent a letter to Democratic lawmakers saying he is “firmly committed to staying in this race” and calling for an “end” to talk within the party about the future of his candidacy.