A New York Times guest essay argued on Tuesday that Pennsylvania senate candidate John Fetterman and politicians in general need to fully disclose their health information at the beginning of their election campaigns.
“Politicians who are not fully transparent in disclosing their health information can become vulnerable to the spread of misinformation, rumors and antics that detract from the candidate’s stances on major issues. That risk is playing out in the Fetterman-Oz race in Pennsylvania,” Lawrence K. Altman, a physician and writer who covered the health of politicians for the New York Times, wrote.
Altman said that the Fetterman campaign has given the public minimal opportunity to “clarify” his health issues.
He added that the Democratic candidate could have avoided his medical issues turning into a political problem if “he, party officials and journalists met their civic responsibilities to check on his health when he entered the primary campaign.”
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The guest essay also noted that Republican candidate Mehmet Oz only recently released his medical information.
Fetterman agreed to debate Oz at the end of October after avoiding multiple requests from his opponent to debate.
The October debate will be hosted by Nexstar Television in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
“Politicians should realize that disclosing limited information about their health can make it more of an issue than full transparency,” Altman wrote.
He added that Congress lack their own version of the 25th Amendment and therefore are allowed to remain in their congressional positions until they face re-election.
“Perhaps Mr. Fetterman’s saga will encourage Americans to follow their doctors’ advice and journalists to motivate politicians to release fully transparent health information,” the guest essay said.
The Washington Post editorial board called out the Fetterman campaign earlier this month and said that he should commit to a debate with Oz.
“The Fetterman campaign squandered credibility by concealing from the public for two days after his stroke that he had been hospitalized,” the editorial board wrote.
