A Coordinated Effort to End Parkinson ’ s
Parkinson ’ s is a disease that requires a national effort to cure and prevent . A 2019 study commissioned by MJFF and several Parkinson ’ s organizations and drugmakers revealed that Parkinson ’ s costs the U . S . government and individual families a combined $ 52 billion every year , half of which is shouldered by the federal government . As the numbers of people with Parkinson ’ s are estimated to double by 2040 , so too will the financial cost . This economic burden on the government and our communities is expected to grow to $ 80 billion by 2037 .
If passed , the National Plan to End Parkinson ’ s Act would establish a public-private advisory council comprised of robust and diverse representation from government agencies ( including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the National Institutes of Health , the Food and Drug Administration ) and private sector experts ( including PD patients , care partners , clinicians and researchers ). This council would advise the U . S . Secretary of Health and Human Services on Parkinson ’ s-related issues and would be obligated to report every year to Congress on their progress .
The bill introduced to Congress also outlines other areas of focus for the National Plan , including :
Increasing federal research funding
Developing more effective pathways for treatments and cures
Improving early diagnosis
Sparking new and improved models for patient care
Creating standards and measures to prevent Parkinson ’ s disease
Addressing health disparities in diagnosis , treatment and clinical trial participation
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