World enews: Fetterman ‘has no work restrictions,’ but auditory processing issues continue, doctor says

WASHINGTON — John Fetterman’s primary care physician said in a medical update released Wednesday that the Senate candidate “has no work restrictions and can work full duty in public office” after an assessment of his condition following his stroke in May.

Fetterman, who is Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor, saw his doctor, Clifford Chen, on Friday. In a letter summarizing the visit released by Fetterman’s Senate campaign, Chen said the candidate is “recovering well from his stroke and his health has continued to improve.”

“His lung exam was clear, heart rate was regular, and his strength was normal in all four extremities without any strength or coordination deficits. He spoke intelligently without cognitive deficits,” the doctor wrote.

The doctor also said Fetterman’s “speech was normal and he continues to exhibit symptoms of an auditory processing disorder which can come across as hearing difficulty. Occasional words he will ‘miss’ which seems like he doesn’t hear the word but it is actually not processed properly. His hearing of sound such as music is not affected. His communication is significantly improved compared to his first visit assisted by speech therapy which he has attended on a regular basis since the stroke.”

Chen said results from lab tests were “good” and noted that Fetterman takes medications “optimize his heart condition and prevent future strokes.” The doctor said his patient “also exercises routinely and can walk four to five miles regularly without difficulty.”

“Overall, Lt. Governor Fetterman is well and shows strong commitment to maintaining good fitness and health practices. He has no work restrictions and can work full duty in public office,” Chen wrote.

Fetterman said in a statement Wednesday that since his stroke five months ago, many Pennsylvanians have shared their stories of their own health problems with him.

“It reminds me why I’m fighting to slash health care costs and make it so every Pennsylvanian can spend more time with the people they love,” he said.

Reacting to the health update, Republican Senate candidate Mehmet Oz’s senior communications adviser, Rachel Tripp, called the clean bill of health “good news.”

“And now that he apparently is healthy, he can debate for 90 minutes, start taking live questions from voters and reporters, and do a second debate now too,” Tripp said.

The health assessment comes just a few weeks before Fetterman faces Oz in the midterm elections on Nov. 8. The candidates agreed to meet for a debate on Oct. 25.

The Democratic lieutenant governor recently spoke with NBC News about the race and his recovery. During the interview, Fetterman occasionally stuttered and had trouble finding words. He responded to oral questions after reading captions on a computer screen.

“I sometimes will hear things in a way that’s not perfectly clear. So I use captioning so I’m able to see what you’re saying on the captioning,” Fetterman said.

He said the stroke, which prompted doctors to implant a pacemaker with a defibrillator to regulate his heartbeat, has altered the way he communicates, including with his family. But he dismissed the idea that his condition would affect his ability to serve in the Senate.

“I don’t think it’s going to have an impact,” said Fetterman, who resumed his duties as Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor in May but did not begin appearing at public campaign events until mid-August. “I feel like I’m gonna get better and better — every day. And by January, I’m going [to] be, you know, much better.”

Rebecca Shabad is a politics reporter for NBC News based in Washington.

Dasha Burns is an NBC News NOW correspondent who covers politics and social issues.