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Participant Stories
“I participate because it is the right thing to do, for myself, for my children, and for the millions of people who have Parkinson’s disease. Without participation there will be no cure.” –Mike, Diagnosed 7 years
Recently Diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease?
If you have recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) understanding the disease, and learning about the resources available to you, are good first steps.
Different Types of Research
There are two main types of clinical ClinicalDealing with or based on observation and treatment of people, as opposed to basic science carried out in the laboratory or in animals. trials: interventional Interventional TrialStructured to determine whether an investigational drug, other intervention, (e.g. gene transfer, vaccine, medical device, magnetic or electrical stimulation, or surgical procedure), or new way of using known therapies is safe and effective under controlled environments. and observational. Observational TrialFocused on understanding more about a disease, which is critical to developing new treatments, therapies, or preventions. These trials involve no intervention, but may include genetic studies of families with a history of Parkinson's, measurement of brain or motor activity, or studies of environmental factors associated with a disease. For example, researchers trying to identify what causes Parkinson’s are likely to conduct an observational study to examine genetic GeneticReferring to a condition that is caused by a person's genes (heredity). or external environmental factors that may have triggered an individual to develop PD. Other researchers may conduct an observational study to evaluate how Parkinson’s affects different people and how it changes over time (these are known as natural history studies) Natural History StudiesObservational studies to improve understanding of neurological conditions. Participants continue receiving medical care from their primary care physician, who will order routine laboratory tests and diagnostic tests (X-rays, CT-scans, and nuclear imaging) as necessary. No investigational treatments are administered under this protocol. . Researchers conducting interventional studies are testing the impact of different types of treatments. These can include changing behavior, taking medications or performing surgery. These two types of research are equally important in helping to answer questions, develop new treatments, and ultimately find a cure for Parkinson’s. Both types of trials are sometimes even open to volunteers who do not have PD.
You may browse by trial type and read more about what these two types of trials involve here, and read more about how to get involved as a non-PD participant here.
