Biden healthy, vigorous and fit for job, says doctor - BBC

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President Biden departs the White House for his physical on Thursday morning

By Sam Cabral

BBC News, Washington

US President Joe Biden remains healthy, vigorous and fit to successfully execute his duties, according to the White House physician.

Doctors gave the 80-year-old a three-hour physical examination on Thursday at a hospital in the Washington area.

It marked Mr Biden's second extensive physical exam since he took office in January 2021.

America's oldest ever president, he is widely expected soon to announce he will seek a second term in office.

Thursday's physical provides a detailed insight into Mr Biden's medical history and his current health and fitness. It did not include a cognitive test.

"The President remains fit for duty, and fully executes all of his responsibilities without any exemptions or accommodations," Dr Kevin O'Connor wrote on Thursday in a memo.

According to the memo, Mr Biden is currently being treated for atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat), high cholesterol, occasional acid reflux, seasonal allergies, spinal arthritis and mild nerve damage in his feet, but is in a stable condition for all of these ailments.

Dr O'Connor added that, based on his assessment, acid reflux is "the source of the President's throat clearing and coughing", a common sight during his speeches.

He also noted that the president did not experience any lingering symptoms from his Covid-19 infection over the summer.

The medical review included "an extremely detailed neurologic exam" that found no signs of neurological disorders like a stroke or Parkinson's disease.

As Mr Biden gears up for a potential re-election campaign, opinion polls have shown a majority of Democrats do not support him going for four more years in the White House.

Many survey respondents cite Mr Biden's advanced age as a primary concern. He would be 86 years old when he left office if he served a full second term.

First elected to the US Senate for Delaware in 1972, the president has been a fixture of American politics for more than half a century.

During the last election campaign, he rejected political enemies' claims that he was suffering from dementia and refused to take a cognitive test.

The Democratic president's age and health have long been under Republican scrutiny.

Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley called for "mandatory mental competency tests" for politicians over the age of 75 as she launched her own campaign for president earlier this week.

"America is not past our prime," she said. "It's just that our politicians are past theirs."

Ms Haley's main rival for the Republican White House 2024 nomination - her former boss, Donald Trump - is 76.