According to a story from markets.financialcontent.com, approximately 300 Parkinson’s disease advocates and disease experts are slated to meet in Washington, DC for the Parkinson’s Policy Forum. This year, the event is scheduled for March 19-21. The forum is primarily organized by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and the Parkinson’s Foundation, but a total of nine different disease-related organizations are expected to participate. To learn more about the event, click here.
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive, degenerative disorder that affects the central nervous system. It primarily causes changes to the body’s ability to move, with symptoms developing slowly over time. Common symptoms include, shaking, stiffness, slowness of movement, and problems walking. There may also be problems with behavior and thinking in some cases, and some people will develop depression and anxiety with dementia often appearing in the advanced stages. The cause of the disease is unknown, but some genetic and environmental factors may play a role. Risk factors include prior head injuries, family history, and exposure to certain pesticides. Symptoms occur when cells in the mid-brain begin to die. While there are treatments that can improve some symptoms, there is no cure for Parkinson’s, and average life expectancy post diagnosis ranges from seven to fourteen years. To learn more about this disease, click here.
Delegates, who are mostly Parkinson’s disease patients, will be educated on the latests developments in disease research. In addition, they will also receive training and instruction before they prepare to visit with representatives and senators from their respective states. They will also be informed on the latest healthcare related legislation. The meetings with politicians will serve to educate them about the most urgent and desperate needs of the Parkinson’s community.
There are several programs and organizations that receive federal funding that have been critical to recent advances in Parkinson’s research, which has been a strong and growing field as of late. More therapies for treating the disease are being developed and tested than at any other time in history. Some programs and agencies that have been of value include the National Institutes of Health and the CDC’s National Neurological Conditions Surveillance System. Regardless, there is still no cure for the condition and as the population ages, the number of people with Parkinson’s disease will increase. The need for new breakthroughs has never been more urgent.
