Health
After Biden drops out of race, doctors reveal why the decision may have been best for his health
FIRST ON FOX: After President Joe Biden’s announcement on Sunday that he is dropping out of the 2024 presidential race, two doctors shared thoughts with Fox News Digital about what this means in terms of Biden’s ongoing cognitive health.
Looking back, some experts believe the path to Biden’s dropout began with what was widely described as a disastrous debate performance in late June, during which the president seemed to display an unclear train of thought and a lack of coherence.
“President Biden has shown signs of cognitive impairment for many years,” Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurosurgeon who specializes in cognitive function, told Fox News Digital on Sunday. He has not treated Biden or advised him.
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“It is medically probable that when he took office in 2020, he was afflicted by mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a gateway syndrome to Alzheimer’s disease and potentially Parkinsonism (not necessarily Parkinson’s disease itself),” Osborn said.
“And he has only deteriorated since then, as is typical of those with neurodegenerative diseases.”
‘Prudent’ decision
Given signs of his “ailing cognitive status, President Biden’s decision to step down from the race seems prudent,” said Osborn, expressing his professional opinion.
“By stepping down, President Biden can prioritize his health and potentially mitigate further cognitive decline,” said a neurosurgeon specializing in cognitive function. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
“In my opinion, he is unfit to run the country and is unsuitable for his duties as commander-in-chief,” he said.
“By stepping down, President Biden can prioritize his health and potentially mitigate further cognitive decline, while also ensuring the leadership role is filled by someone fully capable of handling the demanding responsibilities of the position.”
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Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, said he believes Biden’s decision may be best for the president’s health.
“The stress of the race could have definitely made cognition worse — but it will progress anyway if there is a cognitive issue, and fitness is a big concern,” the doctor told Fox News Digital on Sunday. (Siegel has said on multiple occasions that he has not examined or treated the president and that he cannot make any definitive diagnoses.)
Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, said he believes Biden’s decision to leave the 2024 presidential race was best for the president’s health. (Fox News)
Osborn also emphasized that remaining in the presidential race could have been “detrimental” to Biden’s mental and physical health.
“Chronic stress releases cortisol, the dominant stress hormone of the body, which can negatively impact the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, leading to further deterioration,” Osborn told Fox News Digital.
“In my opinion, he is unfit to run the country and is unsuitable for his duties as commander-in-chief.”
Biden’s past brain surgeries could also have affected his cognitive function, according to Osborn.
“It is likely that the combination of the two brain surgeries and his [possible] neurodegenerative diseases, plus the added stress of the Oval Office, have markedly accelerated the deterioration of his already ailing brain,” he said.
“President Biden has shown signs of cognitive impairment for many years,” Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurosurgeon who specializes in cognitive function, told Fox News Digital. (Dr. Brett Osborn)
“Another term [was] not even a consideration, in my opinion. By 2028, he will categorically be a ‘nursing home patient.’”
In addition to cognitive concerns, the doctors also discussed Biden’s recent bout with COVID-19.
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“Post-COVID syndromes and long COVID have been shown to affect underlying neurological conditions,” Siegel warned.
“This can also come from recurrent COVID.”
“Another term [was] not even a consideration, in my opinion,” a neurosurgeon told Fox News Digital about Biden. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Regarding COVID, Osborn noted that the virus has been shown to have potential long-term effects on cognitive function, often referred to as “brain fog.”
“These effects can include difficulties with memory, attention and executive function,” he said.
“Post-COVID syndromes and long COVID have been shown to affect underlying neurological conditions.”
“In someone with pre-existing cognitive issues like President Biden, contracting COVID-19 could exacerbate these symptoms – via neuroinflammation – and lead to a more rapid decline.”
Osborn also suggested that the president’s contracting COVID was used as an “exit strategy.”
“It accelerated his, but more likely their, decision to vacate his run for the presidency,” the doctor surmised.
Health as a qualifying factor
Along with meeting the official requirements — that the president must be a natural-born citizen, must be at least 35 years of age, and must have lived in the country for at least 14 years — both doctors agreed that the individual should also be physically and cognitively healthy.
“It is extremely important,” Siegel told Fox News Digital. “We have a right to it as a country.”
The role of president involves making complex and high-stakes decisions, often under significant pressure, Osborn noted.
“Cognitive health is essential for clear thinking, effective communication and sound decision-making, all things President Biden lacks,” he said, sharing his viewpoint.
“They should admit to what they know and reveal full neurological results.”
Physical health is also essential, Osborn said, as the role also requires long hours, frequent travel and crisis management.
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“A healthy president is better equipped to handle the demands of the office and to lead the nation effectively through various challenges,” he added.
Need ‘full health disclosures’
In light of Biden’s announcement to exit the race, Siegel said the decision “should be accompanied by a full health disclosure.”
He said, “They should admit to what they know and reveal full neurological results.”
In light of Biden’s announcement to exit the race, Siegel said the decision “should be accompanied by a full health disclosure.” (Getty Images | iStock)
The situation highlights the need for thorough health evaluations for presidential candidates – and sitting presidents — to ensure they can perform their required duties, according to Osborn.
“Routine testing – physical and mental – should be made non-negotiable instead of being thwarted by the governing party,” he said.
“The allowance of President Biden’s mental incompetence for four years is an embarrassment to the United States government, and the world has borne witness.”
In response to outreach from Fox News Digital, the White House press office stated that “health was not a factor” in the president’s decision to withdraw from the race.
Biden is continuing his course of Paxlovid and his COVID symptoms have “significantly” improved, according to the president’s physician.
“He looks forward to finishing his term and delivering more historic results for the American people,” said the White House in its statement.
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On July 21, the White House released the most recent health update from the president’s physician, Dr. Kevin C. O’Connor.
O’Connor also noted that Biden is continuing his course of Paxlovid and that his COVID symptoms have “significantly” improved. The doctor also stated that Biden’s vital signs are normal, and his lungs remain clear.
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A highly contagious digestive virus is surging across the U.S., experts warn.
Rotavirus, a double-stranded RNA virus, causes acute gastroenteritis — inflammation of the stomach and intestines — which can lead to severe diarrhea, vomiting, fever and stomach pain.
The virus primarily affects infants and young children, but there have also been outbreaks in elderly populations, such as nursing homes.
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Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that in the week ending April 4, out of 2,329 rotavirus tests, 7.3% were positive for the infection. Last year’s highest infection rate was 6.77% as of the week ending April 19.
Rotavirus, a double-stranded RNA virus, causes acute gastroenteritis — inflammation of the stomach and intestines — which can lead to severe diarrhea, vomiting, fever and stomach pain. (iStock)
“We’re seeing a lot of rotavirus in the wastewater right now,” Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, confirmed to Fox News Digital. “Testing for rotavirus is way down, but the percentage of positive tests is up.”
While the virus typically peaks in the spring, it is not currently slowing down, he noted.
Why cases may be rising
Patricia Pinto-Garcia, M.D., a medical editor at GoodRx who is based in California, said there are several possible reasons for the rotavirus spike.
“Vaccine rates are down overall among young children, as they decreased during COVID,” she told Fox News Digital. “This means there’s a growing number of infants and young children who are vulnerable to infection.”
The rotavirus vaccine series must be completed by the time a child is 8 months old, she noted.
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As a result of the declining vaccinations, herd immunity isn’t protecting vulnerable children, according to Pinto-Garcia. “Children who haven’t finished the vaccine series yet, are too young to get vaccinated, or can’t get the vaccine due to medical illness are more likely to get exposed to the illness because other children aren’t vaccinated,” she said.
Siegel noted that before the vaccine became available, rotavirus resulted in 55,000 to 70,000 in the U.S. per year.
“Vaccine rates are down overall among young children, as they decreased during COVID,” a doctor told Fox News Digital. “This means there’s a growing number of infants and young children who are vulnerable to infection.” (iStock)
“I am concerned that the vaccination rate has been declining over the past seven years and is continuing to decline in the current climate of vaccine skepticism,” he said.
Surveillance methods are also much better than they used to be, Pinto-Garcia noted, which means public health experts are able to pick up and track cases better than ever before.
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“But we see that rotavirus-related healthcare visits are also up, so improved detection is not the only reason we are seeing this spike,” she said.
The COVID pandemic also disrupted the pattern of infections, according to Pinto-Garcia, so it’s “tricky” to compare the current levels against older cycles.
“It’s possible that what we are seeing is still some post-pandemic rebound, but it’s unlikely that this year’s pattern is fully explained by just this factor,” she added.
Transmission and risk
Dr. Zachary Hoy, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Pediatrix Medical Group based in Nashville, Tennessee, often sees young patients with rotavirus.
“Rotavirus is spread via the fecal-oral route, meaning that a person comes into contact with virus droplets from contact with other children or adults, or from contact with objects such as toys that have been contaminated with the virus from someone who is sick,” he told Fox News Digital. “This can lead to outbreaks, especially at schools where many young children share the same toys.”
“It’s possible that what we are seeing is still some post-pandemic rebound, but it’s unlikely that this year’s pattern is fully explained by just this factor.”
Rotavirus is associated with many dehydration cases in the hospital due to the degree of diarrhea, according to Hoy.
In some severe cases, the virus can lead to seizures due to electrolyte imbalances from dehydration and loss of electrolytes in the stool.
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“Younger children do not have the reserves that older children and adults have, so they can become more dehydrated quicker and develop more severe electrolyte imbalances, leading to more severe infections,” Hoy said.
“Patients with problems with their immune systems or on medications that can decrease their immune systems can have more severe and prolonged infections, too.”
Treatment and care
Because rotavirus is a viral infection, antibiotics are not effective against it. There is no specific antiviral treatment for the condition, with doctors typically recommending supportive care.
“The mainstay of treatment is hospitalization for rehydration via intravenous (IV) fluids,” Hoy told Fox News Digital. “Sometimes it can take up to two to three days of IV fluids to help get patients rehydrated.”
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Blood draws are often necessary to evaluate patients’ electrolyte levels, such as sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium, according to the doctor.
“If these electrolyte levels are significantly low, sometimes patients need special IV solutions or individual electrolyte medications,” he added.
“The mainstay of treatment is hospitalization for rehydration via intravenous (IV) fluids,” a doctor told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
Dr. Daniel Park, medical director of the Pediatric Emergency Department at UNC Health in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, noted that most children recover with supportive care, but parents should seek medical attention if a child shows signs of dehydration. Those include decreased urination, lethargy or inability to keep fluids down.
“While rare, rotavirus can be life-threatening in vulnerable populations, especially very young infants or children with underlying medical conditions,” Park told Fox News Digital.
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Prevention strategies
Given the lack of antiviral medications for rotavirus, doctors emphasize the importance of prevention, primarily the vaccine.
There are two rotavirus vaccines – Rotateq (a three-dose series) and Rotarix (a two-dose series). They are given starting at age 2 months as oral drops, not injections, according to Hoy.
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“It’s important to get the rotavirus vaccines on schedule, because these younger infants are at greatest risk if they get rotavirus,” he advised.
Other recommended prevention methods include handwashing with soap and water.
Every day we’re faced with a zillion small choices: Go to sleep early, or watch one more episode of that Netflix drama. Call an old friend to catch up, or cruise social media. Of course, no single action will guarantee a long, healthy life or doom you to an early grave. But those little daily decisions do add up, and over the long term they can make a difference when it comes to both your longevity and your health span, the amount of life spent in relatively good health.
Scroll through this theoretical “day in the life” and select the option that best fits your typical day. Not every situation will apply perfectly, but think about which choice you’d be most likely to make. This isn’t a formal scientific assessment. The goal here isn’t to assign you a “good” or “bad” score, but to help you understand the central factors that shape the way we age and how long we live.
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A study from Harvard Medical School indicates natural selection has favored the red hair gene, resulting in a potential increase in the number of redheaded people as humanity continues to evolve.
By analyzing nearly 16,000 ancient genomes spanning 10,000 years, researchers identified a list of traits that nature is actively pushing forward. Among the most prominent were the genetic variants for red hair.
“Perhaps having red hair was beneficial 4,000 years ago, or perhaps it came along for the ride with a more important trait,” the authors noted.
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The study, published in the journal Nature, relied on a large database of ancient DNA from West Eurasia. Using new computing methods, the team was able to filter out random fluctuations in DNA to identify what it called “directional selection.”
Directional selection happens when a particular version of a gene gives an organism a strong survival or reproductive advantage, causing it to become more common in a population faster than it would by chance, according to experts.
Directional selection is when a specific gene provides such significant benefits that it rises in frequency across a population much faster than random chance. (iStock)
Prior to this study, scientists only knew of about 21 such instances in human history, one of which was lactose tolerance. This new research uncovered hundreds more.
“With these new techniques and a large amount of ancient genomic data, we can now watch how selection shaped biology in real time,” Ali Akbari, first author of the study and senior staff scientist in the lab of Harvard geneticist David Reich, said in a press release.
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The data showed that genetic markers for red hair are among 479 gene variants that have been strongly favored over the past 10,000 years. One likely explanation, the researchers said, is a major shift in human history: the transition to farming.
Scientists have long pointed to vitamin D synthesis as a likely driver for the rise of traits like fair skin and light hair. (iStock)
As humans moved away from hunting and gathering and settled into agricultural societies, their environment and behavior changed radically, triggering an evolutionary “acceleration.”
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While the Harvard study provides the first definitive statistical proof that red hair was actively selected during the rise of farming, the researchers noted that the exact prehistoric benefit still requires more study.
However, scientists have long pointed to vitamin D synthesis as a likely driver for the rise of these light-pigmented traits in northern climates.
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While redheads remain a minority of the global population today, the Harvard study’s analysis suggests that they may not be an evolutionary accident.
While redheads remain a minority of the global population today, the Harvard study’s analysis suggests they may not be an evolutionary accident. (iStock)
Instead, the red hair trait was “boosted” by natural selection as humans adapted to the challenges of a modern world, according to the researchers.
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The researchers urged caution in how these findings are interpreted.
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“What a variant is associated with now is not necessarily why an allele propagated,” the authors noted.
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