Fox Focus I PPMI Special Edition 17 therapy to slow or stop the progression of PD . Now , with your help , PPMI is helping us get much closer to those urgently needed tools . Here are some recent developments :
+ With several disease-modifying therapies in varied stages of clinical trials , we ’ re nearing the day when we can offer our patients a therapy to change the course of their Parkinson ’ s .
+ A handful of rescue therapies , for when PD symptoms suddenly return , have come to market within the past few years . And a variety of interventions to ease once under addressed non-motor symptoms , such as dementia , depression and constipation , are now in clinical trials .
+ Smartphone apps and wearable devices allow patients to track their symptoms and log medication and its effects . ( In fact , after enrolling in PPMI , you ’ ll be asked to download our study app .) This means it will soon be possible to use data from wearable gadgets to adjust medication , speed the time to diagnosis and reduce errors .
These advances are rapidly moving PD patients toward a better a future . But movement disorder specialists can also promise patients a better today , thanks to the continued investment of time , manpower and money into research and development . As a result of this investment , including your valuable participation in PPMI , there are more drugs available than ever before that target motor and non-motor symptoms and improve patients ’ and families ’ quality of life .
More Diversity in Research Means Better Outcomes for All
Parkinson ’ s is a global disease that affects everyone differently . The varied causes of Parkinson ’ s and its individualized progression mean scientists need to partner with a wide variety of patients to understand the disease and develop better treatments .
To bring together a larger , more diverse group of participants in PPMI , the Foundation is collaborating with the Community Access , Recruitment and Engagement ( CARE ) Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School on FIRE-UP PD ( Fostering Inclusivity in Research Engagement for Underrepresented Populations in Disease ). This study has initiated programs to build trust and increase awareness of research participation among traditionally underserved communities . Working with community leaders and organizations , FIRE-UP PD sites are developing culturally relevant messaging and materials to drive local populations to enroll in PPMI .