PHYSICIANS’ EXPLANATAION OF RONALD REAGAN’S ALZHEIMER’S DIAGNOSIS

STATEMENT BY Dr. Oliver H. Beahrs, Mayo Clinic

Dr. Leslie Weiner, University of Southern California

Dr. James R. Blake, St. John’s Hospital

General John Hutton, M.D., Uniformed Services University of the

Health Sciences

Dr. Ronald Petersen, Mayo Clinic

(Personal Physicians to President Reagan)

Throughout their adult lives President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan have undergone annual physical examinations. This continued during their years in the White House and subsequently at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. These yearly exams have included thorough memory testing and other clinical studies.

Over the past twelve months we began to notice from President Reagan’s test results symptoms indicating the possibility of early stage Alzheimer’s Disease. Additional testing and an extensive observation over the past few weeks have led us to conclude that President Reagan is entering the early stages of this disease.

Although his health is otherwise good, it is expected that as the years go on it will begin to deteriorate. Unfortunately, at this time there is no cure for Alzheimer’s Disease and no effective treatment exists that arrest its progression.

We applaud President Reagan for the courage he has demonstrated by sharing this personal information with the American people. However, as his personal physicians, we respect the doctor/patient privilege and will not be making any further comment about his medical condition.

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