First-ever Parkinson’s think tank identifies eight actions to prevent disease

MIAMI and NEW YORK, Oct. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Parkinson’s Foundation published a new position paper establishing a global framework for stopping Parkinson’s disease (PD) before onset. Recently published in the medical journal npj by PD experts and following the convening of the first-ever Parkinson’s Disease Prevention Think Tank, the paper serves as a strategic call-to-action for clinicians, researchers and policymakers to move beyond symptom management and toward primary prevention.

“This Think Tank set out to answer the bold question: What will it take to get to Parkinson’s Zero, a world where no one has Parkinson’s?” said Parkinson’s Foundation Chief Medical Officer Sneha Mantri, MD, MS, FAAN. “Our goal is to draw attention to primary prevention by advancing research and shaping policy. Our report outlines the actions needed on the individual and system level to make this vision a reality.”

PD is the world’s fastest-growing neurodegenerative disorder, with 10 million people worldwide currently living with the disease. In the United States, more than 90,000 people are diagnosed with PD every year. Current data shows that PD incidence is increasing at a rate that exceeds what can be explained by aging or genetics alone. Without intervention, these rising rates will lead to increased disability and premature death with profound economic consequences.

The Normal Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, a Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence, partnered with PF and 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) the Think Tank recommends to create a world without Parkinson’s are:

1. Count Incidence and Prevalence: Establish a global PD database to measure the specific impact of prevention efforts and new policies.
2. Conduct Studies: Combine genetic, clinical and digital data to identify how environmental exposures trigger disease progression.
3. Create Policy Change: Urge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ban toxic chemicals linked to PD, including paraquat, chlorpyrifos and trichloroethylene.
4. Counsel on Risk: Educate the public on lifestyle interventions, such as exercise and diet, and how to minimize chemical exposure.
5. Communicate Clearly: Engage by educating public and leadership audiences about PD using clear, consistent messaging infused with ways to take action.
6. Form Coalitions: Align messaging across disease organizations to amplify advocacy and reach a broader audience.
7. Apply Cross-disciplinary Approaches: Integrate insights from health economists and toxicologists to understand the financial and biological burdens of the disease.
8. Financial Commitment: Secure $600 million in annual NIH-funded research to address the 20% inflation-adjusted decrease in federal funding since 2021.

Through initiatives like the National Plan to End Parkinson’s, the Foundation has already started working with policymakers and the Parkinson’s community to drive progress here in the U.S. To help ensure that a wide range of ideas and perspectives are represented and discussed, input from the Advisory Council on Parkinson’s Research, Care, and Services (ACPRCS), which includes people living with PD, caregivers, health care providers, researchers, advocacy organizations and representatives from federal agencies, is used to develop the National Plan.

Co-author, ACPRCS member and National Medical Advisor to the Parkinson’s Foundation, Michael S. Okun, MD, said, “Strategic research remains our best path toward slowing, stopping and ultimately preventing Parkinson’s disease.” Dr. Okun added, “While disease-specific organizations like the Parkinson’s Foundation have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in research and clinical care for more than 70 years, stable federal funding is essential to translate scientific discoveries into meaningful advances for people and families.”

The full position paper and the “eight C’s” framework are available here. 

The Think Tank will reconvene this November in Washington, D.C. to address specific policy needs aligned with these prevention strategies. Attendance is by invitation only.

To learn more about the National Pan to End Parkinson’s and the Foundation’s advocacy priorities, visit Parkinson.org/Policy.

About the Parkinson’s Foundation
The Parkinson’s Foundation makes life better for people with Parkinson’s disease by improving care and advancing research toward a cure. In everything we do, we build on the energy, experience and passion of our global Parkinson’s community. Since 1957, the Parkinson’s Foundation has invested more than $513 million in Parkinson’s research and clinical care. Connect with us on Parkinson.org, Facebook, X, Instagram or call 1-800-4PD-INFO (1-800-473-4636).

About Parkinson’s Disease
Affecting more than one million people in the U.S., Parkinson’s disease is the fastest growing neurological disorder in the world. It is associated with a progressive loss of motor control (e.g., shaking or tremor at rest and lack of facial expression), as well as non-motor symptoms (e.g., trouble sleeping, loss of smell and depression). There is no cure for Parkinson’s and nearly 90,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the U.S.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Melissa Nobles Gonzalez
Parkinson’s Foundation
mgonzalez@parkinson.org
305.537.9134

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SOURCE Parkinson’s Foundation