May 15, 2019
(an article of Todd Sherer, PhD)
Editor's Note: For more Foundation news and research updates, read the Spring/Summer 2019 edition of The Fox Focus, our biannual newsletter.
Our soon-to-be-released economic burden study clearly lays out the
stakes in Parkinson's. It provides a comprehensive picture of the toll
the disease takes.
The study shows that costs of Parkinson's to our nation are nearly double previous estimates and includes medical costs like hospitalizations and other ways the disease affects finances, such as missed work days and unpaid care.
The burden of Parkinson's affects patients, their families and their friends. This is why our mission to cure Parkinson's is so critical. For a patient, "cure" can mean a lot of things. A drug to stop Parkinson's from progressing may be a cure. But many patients, including Michael J. Fox, assert that a therapy to effectively treat symptoms over the long term without disabling side effects would be tantamount to a cure in their view.
Since 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved nine new drugs and three devices for Parkinson's to address serious symptoms of Parkinson's. Now, with momentum and a growing community of researchers on our side, we have to keep pushing forward.
The Michael J. Fox Foundation's (MJFF) research strategy is focused on accelerating the most innovative ideas to cure Parkinson's. To do this, we fund research to define the causes of disease and identify new drug targets. And at the same time, we support research to measure and treat the causes and symptoms of the disease."
MJFF approaches Parkinson's research from the most important perspective, that of patients. Our Fox Insight study was created to hear directly from people with Parkinson's and act on what we discover. In addition, patients told us they needed more and better ways to deal with gait and balance problems. We issued a call for projects and asked patients to review them to make sure they would meet their needs.
We thank all of you who provide your valuable experiences through Fox Insight and help us in so many other ways. Your generosity is inspiring -- from donating to supporting research to volunteering for clinical trials and joining Team Fox -- you make success possible.
Read more articles on the Michael J. Fox Foundation web site at https://www.michaeljfox.org/ or at the FB page at https://www.facebook.com/michaeljfoxfoundation
The study shows that costs of Parkinson's to our nation are nearly double previous estimates and includes medical costs like hospitalizations and other ways the disease affects finances, such as missed work days and unpaid care.
The burden of Parkinson's affects patients, their families and their friends. This is why our mission to cure Parkinson's is so critical. For a patient, "cure" can mean a lot of things. A drug to stop Parkinson's from progressing may be a cure. But many patients, including Michael J. Fox, assert that a therapy to effectively treat symptoms over the long term without disabling side effects would be tantamount to a cure in their view.
Since 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved nine new drugs and three devices for Parkinson's to address serious symptoms of Parkinson's. Now, with momentum and a growing community of researchers on our side, we have to keep pushing forward.
The Michael J. Fox Foundation's (MJFF) research strategy is focused on accelerating the most innovative ideas to cure Parkinson's. To do this, we fund research to define the causes of disease and identify new drug targets. And at the same time, we support research to measure and treat the causes and symptoms of the disease."
MJFF approaches Parkinson's research from the most important perspective, that of patients. Our Fox Insight study was created to hear directly from people with Parkinson's and act on what we discover. In addition, patients told us they needed more and better ways to deal with gait and balance problems. We issued a call for projects and asked patients to review them to make sure they would meet their needs.
We thank all of you who provide your valuable experiences through Fox Insight and help us in so many other ways. Your generosity is inspiring -- from donating to supporting research to volunteering for clinical trials and joining Team Fox -- you make success possible.
Read more articles on the Michael J. Fox Foundation web site at https://www.michaeljfox.org/ or at the FB page at https://www.facebook.com/michaeljfoxfoundation
I decided to publish this article because it is an important issue concerning the support for the patients suffering from Parkinson and other neuro degenerativs diseases in several countries such as Portugal where I am living currently after returning from England where I worked during more than 4 years caring of patients with Parkinson´s and also with the Alzheimer disease. Very soon I hope to speak about the costs of dementia diseases in Portugal and about what the state could save if more support for families and carers was implemented instead of hospitalization, medication and other expenses the state are spending every year.
ReplyDeleteGreetings, Ana
Decidi publicar este artigo porque é uma questão importante em relação ao apoio aos pacientes que sofrem de Parkinson e outras doenças neuro-degenerativas em diversos países como Portugal, onde vivo atualmente após retornar da Inglaterra onde trabalhei durante mais de 4 anos cuidando de pacientes com Parkinson e também com a doença de Alzheimer. Muito em breve espero falar sobre os custos destas doenças em Portugal e sobre o que o Estado português (bem como outros), poderia poupar se fosse implementado mais apoio concreto às famílias e cuidadores (informais ou profissionais), em vez de hospitalização, medicação e outras despesas que o estado está a gastar todos os anos.
ReplyDeleteGrata, Ana