Dr. Siegel 'confident' Biden's in good health
Siegel says he does have questions about Biden's most recent exam
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News contributor Dr. Marc Siegel said he was "confident" that President Biden is in good health, despite recent concerns about the president’s raspy voice.
"I think that frequent testing of the president is a very good idea," Siegel told Fox News, adding he would hope the president was tested regularly following signs of upper respiratory congestion.
BIDEN EXPLAINS COUGHING, HOARSE VOICE, SAYS GRANDSON GAVE HIM A COLD
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The president’s physician, Kevin O’Connor, said in a memo Friday that Biden had been tested for 19 common respiratory pathogens that included influenza and streptococcus.
"All of these tests were negative," O’Connor said, adding that Biden had also been tested for COVID-19 three times this week. "Treatment will include common over-the-counter medications for symptoms."
The president dismissed questions regarding his health during a press event Friday, assuring reporters he caught a cold from his grandson.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}President Biden speaks about the COVID-19 variant omicron in the Roosevelt Room of the White House Monday, Nov. 29, 2021, in Washington as Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, listens. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
"What I have is a one-and-a-half-year-old grandson who had a cold who likes to kiss his pop," Biden said.
Siegel said he was assured by the president’s overall health following a routine physical exam last month but noted he would have liked to have seen additional reports on some issues the president’s physician noted.
"He had an extensive physical examination done. I was very impressed with the thoroughness of it," the top doc said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}DR. SIEGEL INTERVIEWS CDC DIRECTOR ON OMICRON COVID VARIANT
Siegel noted that a couple of issues did arise in the president’s examination, including the discovery of a colon polyp.
The Fox News contributor said he believes this is "nothing to worry about" but serves as a good reminder for Americans to get their colonoscopies.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Siegel noted the president had a neurological evaluation after his physician found Biden’s gait had altered from the previous evaluation, a caution that the Siegel said is routine.
"I’m wondering, from that neurological evaluation, A: was an MRI of the spine or brain done?" Siegel said, noting there could be a correlation between the change in gait and other neurological issues.
"And B: nerve conduction EMG?" Siegel asked, referring to an evaluation done to test whether muscles respond correctly to certain nerve signals.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}If completed, neither test was included in the publicly released report, Siegel said.
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"The other thing is no sign of any cognitive testing," he added, noting it might have been a good test to include given that questions that have arisen relating to the president's cognitive abilities.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I’m confident from this physical that he seems to be in really good health," Siegel said. "But those things stand out."