Biden under scrutiny for Parkinson's disease specialist meetings

Expert visited the White House eight times in eight months

Biden's press secretary denies the president has Parkinson's

WASHINGTON, July 8 (Reuters) - US President Joe Biden is not being treated for Parkinson's disease and has not seen a neurologist outside the White House, his press secretary said on Friday.

Karine Jean-Pierre faced repeated questions about whether visits to the White House by a Parkinson's disease specialist indicated that Biden was being treated for the condition.

"The president is not being treated for Parkinson's disease," Jean-Pierre told reporters at a briefing.

She said Biden has seen a neurologist at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, but only for a routine checkup.

Jean-Pierre's comments came after it was reported that a top Parkinson's disease specialist had met with Biden's physician at the White House earlier this year.

The expert on Parkinson's disease from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center visited the White House eight times in eight months between last July and March of this year.

The visits have raised questions about whether Biden is being treated for Parkinson's disease, a neurological disorder that affects movement.

Biden, 79, is the oldest person to serve as president of the United States. He has had a number of health issues in recent years, including a brain aneurysm in 1988 and non-melanoma skin cancer.

In March, Biden underwent a colonoscopy and was found to have a benign polyp that was removed.