White House doctor says Biden remains 'fit for duty' after medical exam

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden remains "fit" to conduct his duties as president, according to a medical memo the White House released after a routine physical exam Thursday.

"President Biden remains a healthy, vigorous 80-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency,” the White House physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, said in a five-page memo.

O’Connor said his assessment was based on a “comprehensive review” of Biden’s medical history and a detailed physical examination that included specialty consultations at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

After a dermatology consultation, a small lesion on Biden's chest was removed and sent for biopsy, O'Connor said.

Biden’s previous physical was in November 2021, when O'Connor also said he was “fit for duty” and could carry out his responsibilities “without any exemptions or accommodations.”

At that time, O’Connor first observed that Biden, then 78, had a "stiffened" gait following a foot fracture. In Thursday's memo, O'Connor said Biden's gait "remains stiff, but has not worsened."

The latest medical assessment also said Biden has no residual symptoms from when he contracted Covid in July.

Biden continues to take medication and is asymptomatic for a heart arrhythmia know as atrial fibrillation, O'Connor said. In addition, he takes medication for cholesterol, which remains “remarkably low,” the memo said.

Biden also experiences acid reflux, which is why he can sometimes be heard clearing his throat, O’Connor said.

The exam did not include cognitive testing. In a neurological assessment, Biden did not show signs of any issues, the memo said.

O’Connor said after Biden's 2021 exam that an “extremely detailed neurologic exam” showed no disorders, such as the possibility of a stroke, multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease.

Biden had been expected to have his exam in January, but it was postponed because of schedule conflicts, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said this month.

In 2021, Biden's exam included a colonoscopy, which required sedation. This time, he did not have a colonoscopy, Jean-Pierre said.

Thursday's examination took about three hours, she said.

In an exclusive interview earlier in the day, Biden described his exam by saying: “Well, everything really went well. God, love him. Thank God for small favors.”

Biden, 80, hasn't explicitly said he plans to run for a second term. He is expected to make a decision and an announcement soon.

He will be 81 during the 2024 presidential election and 86 at the end of a full second term.

Before his 2021 exam, his previous full medical assessment was publicly released in 2019 by his campaign when he was running for the Democratic nomination. At the time, O’Connor, of George Washington University, described Biden as a “healthy, vigorous, 77-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency to include those as Chief Executive, Head of State and Commander in Chief."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com