US Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democratic presidential candidate, released a letter from her doctor declaring her in “excellent health” and fit for high office, in an effort to draw a contrast with her counterpart, Donald Trump.
In a memo released Saturday, doctor Joshua Simmons said Harris' April exam was “fair,” noting her active lifestyle, “very healthy diet,” seasonal allergies, sporadic hives and moderate alcohol consumption.
“In short, Vice President Harris is in excellent health. “She possesses the physical and mental resilience necessary to successfully execute the duties of the presidency, including those of chief executive, head of state, and commander in chief,” Simmons wrote.
Harris, 59, is running against Republican Trump, 78, for the White House in November.
Locked in a tight race, Harris' campaign hopes that contrasting her comparative youth and mental acuity with Trump's older age and tendency to ramble, along with the differences in transparency between the two, will help convince undecided voters to that she is more suitable for the position than he is.
Simmons said Harris' allergies had been well controlled with prescription and over-the-counter medications.
His hives, or hives, are “sporadic and transient and do not appear to be caused by any specific exposure nor are they associated with other symptoms” and respond well to treatment with antihistamines.
Harris has been receiving allergen immunotherapy for the past three years, dramatically improving her allergy and hives symptoms and eliminating her need for medications other than an occasional nasal spray, she said.
Trump's health
Former President Trump questioned President Joe Biden's health as the 81-year-old president sought re-election. Since Biden was replaced on the ticket by Harris, Trump's own health has drawn more attention.
According to a Harris aide, the vice president made her medical information public on Saturday in an effort to draw attention to Trump's refusal to do so.
Trump has released very little information about his health, even after a bullet grazed his ear during an assassination attempt in July.
Last November, Trump celebrated Biden's birthday by publishing a letter from his doctor reporting that the former president was in “excellent” physical and mental health.
The letter posted on Trump's social media platform contained no details to support his claims: measures such as weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, or the results of any tests.