White House physician Kevin O’Connor is offering a more detailed explanation for why a neurologist visited the White House multiple times.
In a letter on Monday, O’Connor responded to reports that Dr. Kevin Cannard, who specializes in Parkinson’s disease, had visited the White House multiple times.
“To protect patient privacy for the thousands of patients of the White House Medical Unit and the physicians who treat them, normally we do not disclose the names of the specialists we work with,” the letter stated. “However, in the interest of accuracy, I have obtained permission from the President and Dr. Cannard to confirm the details I am sharing.”
O’Connor noted Cannard has “been the Neurology Consultant to the White House Medical Unit since 2012” and was “chosen for his breadth of experience and expertise across the specialty of Neurology.”
The letter explained the expert has experience as a general neurologist and has “numerous local and national teaching awards.”
O’Connor added, “Many military personnel experience neurological issues related to their service, and Dr. Cannard regularly visits the WHMU as part of this General Neurology practice.”
Turning to the issue of whether Cannard examined Biden, O’Connor noted the president “seems a team of specialists.” He added Cannard “was the neurological specialist that examined President Biden for each of his annual physicals.”
“His findings have been made public each time I have released the results of the President’s annual physical. President Biden has not seen a neurologist outside of his annual physical,” the letter said.
O’Connor noted that in a Feb. 28 letter, the results of 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.”
Finally, O’Connor said, “Seeing patients at the White House is something that Dr. Cannard has been doing for a dozen years. 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 and and across the Military Health System, with a very wide expertise which makes him flexible to see a variety of patients and problems.”
The letter comes after a tense White House briefing, during which reporters grilled press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Cannard’s visits.
