Written by Jeff Mason
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, released a letter from her doctor on Saturday that said she is in good health and deserves the highest office, in an attempt to show differences with her colleague, Donald Trump.
In a memo released by the White House, the vice president's physician, Joshua Simmons, said Harris's most recent physical exam in April was “unremarkable,” that he lives an active lifestyle and eats a “very healthy diet” despite his busy, seasonal schedule. allergies and rare hives, does not use tobacco and drinks alcohol only in moderation.
“He has the physical and mental strength required to successfully perform the duties of the Office of the President, including those who have been Chief Executive, Head of State and Commander-in-Chief,” the doctor wrote.
Harris, 59, is running against Republican Trump, 78, for the White House. He made his medical information public on Saturday in an effort to draw attention to his refusal to do so, according to an aide to Harris.
Harris said Trump's reluctance to provide detailed medical reports is the latest example of his lack of transparency.
“I think it's clear that his team, at least, doesn't want the American people to see all of who he is,” Harris told reporters before boarding a plane to North Carolina.
Trump voluntarily released updates from his doctor, as well as detailed reports from the doctor Ronny Jackson who treated him after the first assassination attempt, Steven Cheung, Trump Campaign Communications Director, said in a statement.
“They all concluded that he is healthy and fit to be Commander in Chief,” said Cheung.
The Harris campaign is determined to highlight the former president's age since he is the oldest candidate in the race. President Joe Biden, 81, has stepped aside as Democratic nominee following a poor debate performance against Trump.
Locked in a tight race. Harris's campaign hopes that contrasting his relative youth and age with Trump's propensity for partisanship, as well as the obvious differences between the two, will help convince undecided voters that he is the right fit for office.
The White House doctor said in 2018 when Trump was in office that he was in very good health at the time but needed to lose weight and start a daily exercise routine.
Simmons said Harris' allergies are well controlled with over-the-counter and prescription medications.
Her urticaria or hives were “intermittent and transient and did not appear to be caused by any particular exposure and were not associated with other symptoms” and responded well to antihistamine treatment.
Harris has been using allergen immunotherapy for the past three years, greatly improving her allergy symptoms and urticaria and reducing her need for medication except for the occasional nasal spray, she said.
Harris wears contact lenses. Her family history includes her mother's breast cancer. Harris was up-to-date on preventive health procedures including colonoscopies and annual mammograms, he said.
