Chapter 2
Research Participation
throughout Your Parkinson’s
Journey
As life with Parkinson’s unfolds, options for research
participation evolve with it. Wherever you are with
Parkinson’s, you can contribute. If you’re newly diagnosed
and haven’t yet started medication, you may be eligible
to participate in trials testing therapies to slow disease
progression. Or, if you’ve tried a number of Parkinson’s
disease (PD) drugs over the years, investigators may be
seeking people like you to study how to improve upon
existing therapies. If you have dyskinesia, imbalance or
memory problems, you may be able to advance new
treatments for these symptoms.
Hundreds of Parkinson’s studies are under way
right now and all of them need volunteers with
PD. Some focus on ways to diagnose PD, others
on treatments for unmet needs — difficulties,
such as falls and dementia, for which there are
few approved medical strategies. Still others test
novel drugs with the potential to modify the
course of disease. In-person and online studies
offer people with wide-ranging symptoms and
medication regimens the chance to become
more engaged in their own care and with the
Parkinson’s community.
You can join at any time. Some people connect with
a variety of studies throughout the course of their
PD. No matter when you volunteer, or why, research
participation is a way to actively pursue answers.
Most people find it to be part of an empowering and
rewarding experience.
Research on every step of PD is meaningful. This
chapter describes what types of clinical trials and
studies are available at different points in your
Parkinson’s and why each is critical.
Chapter 2 — Research Participation throughout Your Parkinson’s Journey
19