CNN's chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, has urged President Biden to undergo neurological testing to assess his cognitive health, expressing concerns about his performance during a recent presidential debate. Gupta emphasizes the need for Biden to address these concerns transparently to ensure the public's confidence in his fitness for office.
In a recent article published by CNN, chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta expressed concerns about President Biden's cognitive abilities and called for him to undergo detailed testing. Gupta's concerns stem from Biden's performance during a recent presidential debate, which he said raised questions about his cognitive health.
CNN Medical Expert Calls for Cognitive Testing on President Biden
"From a neurological standpoint, we were concerned with his confused rambling; sudden loss of concentration in the middle of a sentence; halting speech and absence of facial animation, resulting at times in a flat, open-mouthed expression," Gupta wrote.
Gupta noted that the debate led to widespread speculation about Biden's mental acuity, with many mainstream media outlets and Democratic Party members questioning his fitness for office. While Gupta did not endorse any political action against Biden, he stressed the importance of testing to provide clarity.
CNN Medical Expert Calls for Cognitive Testing on President Biden
Biden's age, past brain operations for aneurysms, and unsatisfactory debate performance, combined with the lack of a recent comprehensive cognitive assessment, warrant further evaluation, according to Gupta. He referred to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's statement that it is "legitimate" to question whether Biden's debate performance was an isolated incident or a symptom of a larger condition.
Gupta emphasized the availability of medical treatments and lifestyle changes that can mitigate or even reverse dementia symptoms. He added that the public deserves transparency about Biden's health, particularly given his recent campaign trail performance, which has not allayed concerns.
CNN Medical Expert Calls for Cognitive Testing on President Biden
"We often hear that observing a candidate on the campaign trail is the best assessment of the individual’s physical and cognitive health," Gupta wrote. "Back in 2020, Biden said he was ‘constantly tested’ by the work of running for president. ‘All you’ve got to do is watch me,’ he said then.
"The country is watching now, and that assessment gives cause for concern — and a need for transparent testing," Gupta concluded.
The Biden campaign has denied that the president has dementia or any illness that would affect his cognitive function. However, Gupta's call for testing has sparked a debate about the need for greater transparency regarding Biden's health and fitness for office.
