Health
Before Biden, these 5 past presidents faced health issues amid re-election
President Biden announced on Sunday that he has dropped out of the 2024 presidential race.
Although the White House press office told Fox News Digital on Monday that “health was not a factor” in the president’s decision to withdraw, multiple doctors expressed concern about signs of cognitive decline after Biden’s widely criticized performance in the June 27 presidential debate.
Two medical experts told Fox News Digital their belief that Biden’s decision to step down is best for the president’s health.
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Biden, however, isn’t the only president whose re-election was potentially thwarted by health issues or concerns.
Here are five others.
Presidents Woodrow Wilson, left, Franklin D. Roosevelt, center, and Theodore Roosevelt all experienced health issues while in office. (Getty Images)
1. Chester A. Arthur (21st president, 1881-1885)
After he became America’s 21st president in 1881, Chester Arthur experienced health complications due to malaria, which remained endemic in Washington, D.C., throughout the 19th century, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
In 1882, Arthur continued to suffer from progressive fatigue, extreme weight loss and peripheral edema, the NIH reported.
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After a closer health inspection, Arthur was diagnosed with Bright’s disease, today known as chronic kidney disease.
Chester A. Arthur, 1829-86, 21st president of the United States, is shown in a portrait in the 1880s. (Glasshouse Vintage/Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The president’s health worsened during his last two years in office, with reported symptoms of fluid retention, rigors (shaking or shivering), nausea and colicky abdominal pain.
As the 1884 election inched closer, Arthur sought a second term — but lost the Republican nomination to James G. Blaine, the speaker of the House.
Blaine went on to lose the election to Democrat Grover Cleveland.
Arthur died on Nov. 18, 1886, at age 57, according to the Smithsonian.
2. Theodore Roosevelt (26th president, 1901-1909)
Theodore Roosevelt took over as commander in chief at nearly 43 years old in 1901 following the assassination of President William McKinley, according to the White House Historical Association.
Roosevelt was then re-elected in 1904.
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After William Howard Taft’s term, which began in 1909, Roosevelt decided to re-join the race in 1912, creating his own “Bull Moose” party.
While campaigning on Oct. 14, 1912, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Roosevelt was shot during an assassination attempt outside the Gilpatrick Hotel.
President Theodore Roosevelt is pictured at his office in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 10, 1903. (History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The bullet was slowed by Roosevelt’s dense overcoat, his steel-reinforced eyeglasses case and his 50-page speech folded in his inner right jacket pocket, as History.com reported.
The bullet punctured the president’s right chest, but did not damage his lungs. It was left lodged inside his ribs — which was deemed safer than operating.
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Roosevelt continued his campaign while in recovery — but was beaten by Democrat Woodrow Wilson in the 1912 election.
3. Woodrow Wilson (28th president, 1913-1921)
Woodrow Wilson carried out two full terms and intended to run for a third.
But the then-president was “severely hindered” by a neurological condition that caused him to suffer from strokes before and during his presidency, according to the NIH.
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Before he took office, three strokes affected his right hand and left arm, and caused blindness in his left eye.
A damaging stroke during his presidency in October 1919 left Wilson paralyzed on the left side and with only partial vision in his right eye.
He was confined to his bed for several weeks, the NIH reported.
Woodrow Wilson’s portrait was taken during his campaign for New Jersey governor in 1910. (Circa Images/GHI/Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Wilson did not sufficiently recover from this episode.
In 1920, the Republicans requested confirmation that he was still able to carry out his duties as required by the Constitution.
The president’s doctor, Dr. Cary Grayson, would not publicly comment on Wilson’s health status as Wilson pursued re-election for a third term.
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By the time of the Democratic convention that summer, however, Grayson shared Wilson’s poor medical state with party leaders and rejected the idea of a third term.
Wilson was ultimately not given the presidential nomination, and Republican Warren G. Harding was elected in 1920.
4. Franklin Delano Roosevelt (32nd president, 1933-1945)
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) was the only U.S. president to serve more than two terms in office, as he was elected four times throughout the Depression and World War II.
Roosevelt had suffered from health issues since his paralysis as a result of polio at 39 years old, according to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library and Museum.
Franklin Roosevelt (1882-1945), 32nd U.S. president, is pictured at his desk in Washington, D.C., in 1933. (Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
During his third term in office, Roosevelt was diagnosed with heart disease, which was kept hidden from the public ahead of his re-election for a fourth term, the NIH reported.
Throughout 1944, Roosevelt’s team of doctors monitored his waning health, continuously recording high blood pressure measurements.
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These heart complications were attributed to the “unending stress and strain of the war,” according to the FDR Library and Museum.
Roosevelt was chosen as the Democratic nominee in 1944 and continued with his campaign, even while facing skepticism about his physical fitness for office.
President Franklin Roosevelt in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., in 1934. (History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Although he won his fourth presidential election, Roosevelt was “debilitated” by his condition, according to the NIH.
On April 12, 1945, Roosevelt complained of a headache to his physician, Dr. Howard Bruenn.
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Roosevelt’s blood pressure hit 300/190 and he lost consciousness.
Bruenn diagnosed the event as a stroke and declared the president dead at age 63.
5. Dwight D. Eisenhower (34th president, 1953-1961)
Dwight Eisenhower began his first term in 1953 and suffered from two major illnesses, according to the NIH.
He experienced a heart attack in September 1955, keeping him out of the White House for recovery until December.
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Although Eisenhower got clearance from his doctors, the NIH reported that his cardiologists recommended against his running for a second term.
The president decided to run for re-election anyway, which was followed by his second major health event in June 1956 — resulting in a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease.
President Dwight Eisenhower is pictured with Willy Brandt, mayor of West Berlin, in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 11, 1959. (Circa Images/GHI/Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Eisenhower underwent an exploratory laparotomy and ileal bypass surgery for a bowel obstruction, which was successful.
After a full recovery, Eisenhower was re-elected for a second term, despite questions from the opposition about his fitness for office.
The following year, in November 1957, Eisenhower suffered a stroke but ultimately fulfilled his presidency.
After leaving office, Eisenhower suffered multiple heart attacks in the 1960s.
He died of congestive heart failure on March 28, 1969, at 78 years old.
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The first oral GLP-1 medication for weight loss has been approved for use in the U.S.
The Wegovy pill, from drugmaker Novo Nordisk, was cleared by the Food and Drug Administration to reduce excess body weight, maintain long-term weight reduction and lower the risk of major cardiovascular events.
Approval of the once-daily 25mg semaglutide pill was based on the results of two clinical trials — the OASIS trial program and the SELECT trial.
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The Wegovy pill demonstrated a mean weight loss of 16.6% in the OASIS 4 trial among adults who were obese or overweight and had one or more comorbidities (other medical conditions), according to a press release. In the same trial, one in three participants experienced 20% or greater weight loss.
The first oral GLP-1 medication for weight loss has been approved for use in the U.S. (iStock)
Novo Nordisk reported that the weight loss achieved with the pill is similar to that of injectable Wegovy and has a similar safety profile.
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“With today’s approval of the Wegovy pill, patients will have a convenient, once-daily pill that can help them lose as much weight as the original Wegovy injection,” said Mike Doustdar, president and CEO of Novo Nordisk, in the press release.
Novo Nordisk reported that the weight loss achieved with the pill is similar to that of injectable Wegovy and has a similar safety profile. (James Manning/PA Images via Getty Images)
“As the first oral GLP-1 treatment for people living with overweight or obesity, the Wegovy pill provides patients with a new, convenient treatment option that can help patients start or continue their weight-loss journey.”
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The oral GLP-1 is expected to launch in the U.S. in early January 2026. Novo Nordisk has also submitted oral semaglutide for obesity to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and other regulatory authorities.
“Most side effects will be GI-related and should be similar to the injectable, such as nausea, vomiting and constipation,” an expert said. (iStock)
Dr. Sue Decotiis, a medical weight-loss doctor in New York City, confirmed in an interview with Fox News Digital that studies show oral Wegovy is comparable to the weekly injectable, just without the needles.
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Although the pill may result in better compliance and ease of use, Decotiis warned that some patients may not absorb the medication through the gastrointestinal tract as well as with the injectable version due to individual idiosyncrasies in the body.
“Most side effects will be GI-related and should be similar to the injectable, such as nausea, vomiting and constipation,” she said.
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“In my practice, I have found tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound) to yield more weight loss and fat loss than semaglutide by about 20%,” the doctor added. “This has been shown in studies, often [with] fewer side effects.”
More oral GLP-1s may be coming in 2026, according to Decotiis, including an Orforglipron application by Lilly and a new combination Novo Nordisk drug, which is pending approval later next year.
One expert warned that some patients may not absorb the medication through the gastrointestinal tract as well as with the injectable version. (iStock)
“There will be more new drugs available in the future that will be more effective for patients who are more insulin-resistant and have not responded as well to semaglutide and/or tirzepatide,” the doctor said. “This is great news, as novel drugs affecting more receptors mean better long-term results in more patients.”
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As these medications become cheaper and easier to access, Decotiis emphasized that keeping up with healthy lifestyle habits — including proper nutrition with sufficient protein and fiber, as well as increased hydration — is essential to ensuring lasting results.
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“If not, patients will regain weight and could lose muscle and not enough body fat,” she said.
Fox News Digital reached out to Novo Nordisk for comment.
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A study from Sweden’s Uppsala University discovered a link between microplastics and multiple sclerosis (MS).
The research, published in the journal Environmental International, discovered that exposure to two common environmental contaminants, PFAS and PCBs, could increase the risk of the autoimmune disease.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as “forever chemicals,” are used in some common household products, such as non-stick cookware, textiles and cleaning products. They have also been found in drinking water throughout the U.S., according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are toxic industrial chemicals once widely used in electrical equipment before being banned decades ago, as stated by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
The new study findings were based on blood samples of 1,800 Swedish individuals, including about 900 who had recently been diagnosed with MS, according to a university press release.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as “forever chemicals,” are used in some common household products, including non-stick cookware. (iStock)
The first phase of the trial studied 14 different PFAS contaminants and three substances that appear when PCBs are broken down in the body. These were then investigated for a link to the odds of diagnosis.
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“We saw that several individual substances, such as PFOS and two hydroxylated PCBs, were linked to increased odds for MS,” lead study author Kim Kultima said in a statement. “People with the highest concentrations of PFOS and PCBs had approximately twice the odds of being diagnosed with MS, compared to those with the lowest concentrations.”
The researchers then examined the combined effects of these substances and found that the mixture was also linked to increased risk.
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Fellow researcher Aina Vaivade noted that risk assessments should consider chemical mixtures, not just individual exposures, because people are typically exposed to multiple substances at the same time.
“We saw that several individual substances, such as PFOS and two hydroxylated PCBs, were linked to increased odds for MS,” the lead study author said. (iStock)
The final phase of the study investigated the relationship between inheritance, chemical exposure and the odds of MS diagnosis, revealing that those who carry a certain gene variant actually have a reduced MS risk.
However, individuals who carried the gene and had higher exposure to PFOS — a singular type of chemical in the PFAS family — had an “unexpected” increased risk of MS.
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“This indicates that there is a complex interaction between inheritance and environmental exposure linked to the odds of MS,” Kultima said.
“We therefore think it is important to understand how environmental contaminants interact with hereditary factors, as this can provide new knowledge about the genesis of MS and could also be relevant for other diseases.”
Multiple sclerosis is a disease that leads to the breakdown of the protective covering of the nerves, according to Mayo Clinic. (iStock)
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel commented on these findings in an interview with Fox News Digital.
“MS is a complex disease that is somewhat autoimmune and somewhat post-inflammatory,” said Siegel, who was not involved in the study. “Epstein-Barr virus infection greatly increases the risk of MS.”
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“There is every reason to believe that environmental triggers play a role, including microplastics, and this important study shows a correlation, but not causation — in other words, it doesn’t prove that the microplastics caused MS.”
The study had some limitations, the researchers acknowledged, including that the chemical exposure was measured only once, at the time of blood sampling. This means it may not accurately represent participants’ long-term or past exposure levels relevant to MS development.
“There is every reason to believe that environmental triggers play a role.”
Fox News Digital reached out to several industry groups and manufacturers requesting comment on the potential link between PFAS chemicals and multiple sclerosis.
Several have issued public statements, including the American Chemistry Council, which states on its website that “manufacturers and many users of today’s PFAS are implementing a variety of practices and technologies to help minimize environmental emissions.”
In April 2024, the EPA enacted a new federal rule that sets mandatory limits on certain PFAS chemicals in drinking water, aiming to reduce exposure. The agency also aims to fund testing and treatment efforts.
A woman working out outdoors takes a sip of water from a plastic bottle. (iStock)
Multiple sclerosis is a disease that leads to the breakdown of the protective coverings that surround nerve fibers, according to Mayo Clinic.
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The immune system’s attack on these nerve sheaths can cause numbness, weakness, trouble walking and moving, vision changes and other symptoms, and can lead to permanent damage.
There is currently no cure for MS, Mayo Clinic reports, but treatment is available to manage symptoms and modify the course of the disease.
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