This group will give people all over the UK more opportunities to take part in clinical trials to help alleviate Parkinson's related symptoms and develop research towards a cure.
- Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world and affects around 10 million people worldwide. It is estimated that one in 37 of us will develop it in our lifetime - there is currently no cure.
- The PD-CSG aims to improve patient access to Parkinson’s clinical trials across the UK to test ‘neuroprotective compounds’ which aim to slow down the relentless progression of the disease.
- The group will help develop and support Parkinson's Clinical Research across the UK including research to alleviate Parkinson's related symptoms.
Led by Professor Oliver Bandmann, Professor of Movement Disorders Neurology at the University of Sheffield, the group consists of people living with Parkinson’s, doctors, specialist nurses and other key stakeholders.
The UK-PD-CSG will bring together the expertise and enthusiasm of experts who are passionate about translating the benefits of research to those who are affected by Parkinson’s. Group members each possess unique knowledge and experience in varying sub-specialities of Parkinson's research and are united in the research endeavours against the disease.
The main aim of the PD-CSG will be to ensure improved patient access to Parkinson’s clinical trials across the UK. The PD-CSG will have strong patient representation and champion the voices of people with Parkinson’s in the design, development and delivery of the research.
Professor Bandmann said: ‘We already have a very vibrant, successful Parkinson’s disease clinical studies landscape in the UK but we want to make sure that we will be doing better still in the future. We want to make sure that people with Parkinson’s will have the opportunity to take part in clinical trials. We will be working with our funders, Cure Parkinson’s, and all other relevant stakeholder organisations across the UK to achieve this.
More and more exciting drugs are coming through the drug development pipeline and many of these focus on the most important thing, to slow down the currently relentless worsening of Parkinson’s. Hopefully our work will help to find such disease modifying drugs for Parkinson’s or help people with this condition in other ways.'
Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease. Currently, only symptomatic treatment options are available to patients.
The PD-CSG is funded by Cure Parkinson’s and is supported by the NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre.