Parkinson’s Expert Visited the White House Eight Times in Eight Months

The White House said President Biden had a visit from a neuroologist three times in his time in office. They claimed the doctor’s visits were related to treating others.

By Emily Baumgaertner, Peter Baker

Jul 09, 2024 02:43 AM

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The White House said President Biden has seen a neurologist just three times over more than three years at the office. The White House also implied that the visits of the doctor were connected to the treatment of other patients.

President Biden leaving Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in February. Credit… Pete Marovich for The New York Times

By Emily Baumgaertnerand Peter Baker

Emily Baumgaertner is the national health coverage reporter. Peter Baker is the chief White House correspondent.

A specialist in Parkinson’s disease from the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center visited the White House eight times in eight months starting in summer to this spring, with at least one time for an appointment with Biden’s physician, according the official logs of visitors.

The doctor Dr. Kevin Cannard, is an expert in movement disorders. He has recently published a research paper on Parkinson’s. The logs, which were released from the White House, document visits between July 2023 and April of the year. The more recent visits, if they were made they were, will not be released in the future under the White House’s policy of voluntary disclosure.

It was not clear whether it was clear if Dr. Cannard was at the White House to consult specifically with the president or attended meetings unrelated to his duties. It was unclear if Dr. Cannard’s LinkedIn page states that he has been “supporting the White House Medical Unit” for over 12 years. His profile on Doximity which is a site for medical professionals, lists his position as an “neurology consultant to the White House Medical Unit and the physician to the president” between 2012 and 2022, that would encompass the administrations of the presidents Barack Obama and Donald J. Trump.

The records of records from the Obama administration, during which Mr. Biden was vice president shows how Dr. Cannard made at least 10 visits in 2012 along with an extended family tour; four in 2013 one in 2014; four visits in 2015; and eight visits in the year 2016. Dr. Cannard was vice president in 2016. Trump rescinded Mr. Obama’s voluntary White House visitors disclosure policy which means that records aren’t available for the duration of his four years as president.

Dr. Cannard didn’t respond to multiple requests for clarification. In a statement that was released around 9:40 p.m. on Monday Dr. Kevin O’Connor, the White House physician, confirmed that Dr. Cannard had seen Mr. Biden three times during the three and a quarter year period of his presidency but he didn’t say the other visits were connected to the health of the president.

However the doctor. O’Connor implied that most of Dr. Cannard’s appointments were connected to other people employed in the White House. “Prior to the pandemic, and following its end, he has held regular neurology clinics at the White House Medical Clinic in support of the thousands of active-duty members assigned in support of White House operations,” Dr. O’Connor wrote.