President Obama says there is 'no mechanism' for revoking a medal awarded to Bill Cosby.

The comedian denies a series of sexual misconduct allegations - but it has emerged he admitted in 2005 to buying sedatives to give to women he wanted to sleep with.

Earlier this evening the US President was asked about the allegations.

He said there would be 'no precedent' and no mechanism for revoking the Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded to Mr Cosby.

President Obama declined to comment directly on the claims made against the comedian, saying he makes it a policy to not comment on open cases.

However he told reporters "if you give a woman - or a man, for that matter - without his or her knowledge... a drug, and then have sex with that person without consent, that’s rape":

More than 40 women have come forward in the past year to claim that Cosby sexually assaulted them - some also believing they were drugged.

Cosby admitted under oath he had obtained Quaaludes, known as Mandrax in Ireland, after a woman named Andrea Constand sued him for allegedly drugging and assaulting her.

In a deposition, Cosby admitted giving it to at least one woman but claimed he had only given Ms Costand the allergy medicine Benadryl.

The case was settled for an undisclosed amount in 2006.