16 Fox Focus | Policy
First Federal Bill to End Parkinson ’ s Becomes Law
By Brenna Callahan
On July 2 , 2024 , President Biden signed the National Plan to End Parkinson ’ s Act into law . The U . S . Senate passed the bill — the first dedicated to ending Parkinson ’ s disease — unanimously in May 2023 after its passage in the U . S . House of Representatives in December 2023 . With 215 total co-sponsors in Congress , the bill held bipartisan support in both chambers .
The new law is a result of an extraordinary effort by the Parkinson ’ s community including tens of thousands of policy advocates , partner organizations and champions in Congress . From signing MJFF ’ s petition , calling and writing representatives and senators , pitching op-ed articles to media outlets and sharing stories on social media , people in all 50 states helped policymakers understand the critical importance of this bill and built support for its passage .
The U . S . Department of Health and Human Services will now work to develop the National Parkinson ’ s Project — a first-ever federal initiative to better diagnose , prevent , treat and cure Parkinson ’ s disease and atypical
parkinsonisms — and a federal advisory council to provide recommendations and guidance . The council will include members of federal agencies , people living with Parkinson ’ s , care partners , researchers , clinicians and other experts , ensuring much-needed public-private collaboration .
The National Parkinson ’ s Project has the potential to dramatically increase federal research funding ; develop more effective pathways for treatments and cures ; improve early diagnosis ; spark new and improved models for patient care ; create standards and measures to prevent Parkinson ’ s disease ; address health disparities in diagnosis , treatment and clinical trial participation ; and enhance public awareness of the disease .
The legislation was modeled after the successful National Alzheimer ’ s Project Act ( NAPA ), signed into law in 2011 , which has paved the way for improved therapies and greater access to quality care for patients . The federal government now invests $ 3.8 billion in Alzheimer ’ s and dementia research annually , a seven-fold increase since NAPA became law .