Despite decades of studies and billions of dollars invested, the scientific community has yet to uncover what Parkinson’s truly is, what causes it, and how to stop or prevent its progression. This persistent failure to make meaningful progress in Parkinson’s research stems, in part, from researchers asking the wrong questions.
There is an Alarming Volume of Unproductive Research
Simon Stott of the Cure Parkinson’s Trust highlights a staggering reality: as of December 31, 2023, over 171,000 studies on Parkinson’s had been published — 82% of them since the year 2000. In 2023 alone, researchers produced 11,605 reports. Yet, the core mysteries of Parkinson’s remain unsolved.
Many studies focus on animal models, inducing Parkinson’s-like symptoms in species that cannot naturally contract the disease. These experiments often produce “promising results,” yet their findings rarely translate into human treatments. Despite this, such studies dominate research efforts, leaving patients and caregivers grasping at fleeting hopes fueled by headlines rather than breakthroughs.
A Billion-Dollar Question
The lack of progress is not due to insufficient funding. The Michael J. Fox Foundation has raised nearly $1 billion for Parkinson’s research. Combined with investments from the National Institutes of Health and other organizations like the Cure Parkinson’s Trust and the American Parkinson’s Foundation, funding over the past 25 years exceeds $3 billion. However, this significant financial commitment has yet to yield transformative results.
Breaking the Cycle of Failure
The scientific community appears trapped in an endless cycle of unproductive research. It is time to explore a new path — one that prioritizes asking the right questions and incorporating insights from those who live with Parkinson’s every day.
The scientific community appears trapped in an endless cycle of unproductive research. It is time to explore a new path — one that prioritizes asking the right questions and incorporating insights from those who live with Parkinson’s every day.
Steps Towards a Solution
Resolve Parkinson’s is dedicated to challenging the status quo in Parkinson’s research by focusing on patient-driven priorities and fostering collaboration. Our solutions include:
- Identifying Knowledge Gaps and Dogmas: Orchestrating collaborative efforts to reexamine long-held assumptions and explore under-researched but promising areas.
- Prioritizing the Patient Voice: Including the lived experiences of Parkinson’s patients in research design to spur the development of new hypotheses and approaches.
- Promoting Collaborative Learning: Creating a model for researchers, clinicians, and patients to work together, exchanging insights that inform new paradigms for understanding and treating Parkinson’s.
- Exploring Alternative Frameworks: Developing and disseminating innovative paradigms for understanding and addressing Parkinson’s.
By shifting focus to these strategies, we aim to disrupt stagnation and drive research toward outcomes that truly matter to those living with Parkinson’s. Learn more about our vision for the future and how we’ll get there.
