Parkinson's Foundation Publishes Prevention Position Paper

MIAMI and NEW YORK, Oct. 13, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- The Parkinson's Foundation has published a new position paper establishing a global framework for stopping Parkinson's disease (PD) before onset, marking the first-ever convening of a Parkinson's Disease Prevention Think Tank. The paper, published in the medical journal npj, serves as a strategic call-to-action for clinicians, researchers, and policymakers to shift focus from symptom management to primary prevention.

Parkinson's disease is the fastest-growing neurodegenerative disorder, affecting 10 million people worldwide, with more than 90,000 people diagnosed in the United States each year. Current data shows that PD incidence is increasing at a rate that exceeds what can be explained by aging or genetics alone, leading to increased disability and premature death with significant economic consequences.

The Parkinson's Foundation, partnering with the Normal Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, hosted the Think Tank last November. The Think Tank's strategy requires a fundamental shift in how the global medical community addresses the genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors driving the rise in diagnoses. The eight priority actions, or "eight C's," recommended by the Think Tank to create a world without Parkinson's are: Count Incidence and Prevalence, Conduct Studies, Create Policy Change, Counsel on Risk, Communicate Clearly, Form Coalitions, Apply Cross-disciplinary Approaches, and Financial Commitment.

The eight priority actions are designed to move beyond symptom management and toward primary prevention. The Think Tank's strategy requires a fundamental shift in how the global medical community addresses the genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors driving the rise in diagnoses. The eight priority actions (or eight C's) the Think Tank recommends to create a world without Parkinson's are: Count Incidence and Prevalence, Conduct Studies, Create Policy Change, Counsel on Risk, Communicate Clearly, Form Coalitions, Apply Cross-disciplinary Approaches, and Financial Commitment.

The Financial Commitment priority action calls for securing $600 million in annual NIH-funded research to address the 20% inflation-adjusted decrease in federal funding since 2021. This initiative is part of the Parkinson's Foundation's broader efforts to secure stable federal funding for research and clinical care, which have been ongoing for more than 70 years. Since 1957, the Parkinson's Foundation has invested more than $513 million in Parkinson's research and clinical care, making significant strides in understanding and treating the disease.

The Think Tank's strategy is designed to engage the public and policymakers in a fundamental shift in how the global medical community addresses the genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors driving the rise in diagnoses. The Think Tank's strategy is expected to drive progress in the United States, where the Parkinson's Foundation has already started working with policymakers and the Parkinson's community to drive progress.

The convening of the Think Tank and the publication of the position paper are expected to raise awareness of the importance of primary prevention and encourage action to address the rising incidence of Parkinson's disease. The Think Tank will reconvene in November in Washington, D.C. to address specific policy needs aligned with these prevention strategies.