The Parkinson's Foundation is a leading non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with Parkinson's disease through research, education, and outreach. Formed in 2016 through the merger of the National Parkinson Foundation (NPF) and Parkinson's Disease Foundation (PDF), the organization serves over 1 million Americans living with PD and their families[@parkinsons].
Mission and History
Mission
The Parkinson's Foundation mission is to make life better for people with Parkinson's disease through expert care, research, and education. The organization is committed to:
Finding a cure for Parkinson's disease
Improving quality of life for people with PD
Advancing research toward better treatments
Providing education and support to patients, families, and healthcare professionals[@parkinsons]
History
1957: Parkinson's Disease Foundation (PDF) founded in New York
1958: National Parkinson Foundation (NPF) founded in Miami
2016: NPF and PDF merge to form the Parkinson's Foundation
2018: Launch of the Parkinson's Outcomes Project data repository
2020: Expanded Centers of Excellence network
2023: Over $100 million invested in research to date
Research Programs
Parkinson's Outcomes Project
The Parkinson's Outcomes Project is the largest clinical study of Parkinson's disease, tracking over 10,000 patients across more than 20 countries[@parkinsonsa].
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Introduction
The Parkinson's Foundation is a leading non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with Parkinson's disease through research, education, and outreach. Formed in 2016 through the merger of the National Parkinson Foundation (NPF) and Parkinson's Disease Foundation (PDF), the organization serves over 1 million Americans living with PD and their families[@parkinsons].
Mission and History
Mission
The Parkinson's Foundation mission is to make life better for people with Parkinson's disease through expert care, research, and education. The organization is committed to:
Finding a cure for Parkinson's disease
Improving quality of life for people with PD
Advancing research toward better treatments
Providing education and support to patients, families, and healthcare professionals[@parkinsons]
History
1957: Parkinson's Disease Foundation (PDF) founded in New York
1958: National Parkinson Foundation (NPF) founded in Miami
2016: NPF and PDF merge to form the Parkinson's Foundation
2018: Launch of the Parkinson's Outcomes Project data repository
2020: Expanded Centers of Excellence network
2023: Over $100 million invested in research to date
Research Programs
Parkinson's Outcomes Project
The Parkinson's Outcomes Project is the largest clinical study of Parkinson's disease, tracking over 10,000 patients across more than 20 countries[@parkinsonsa].
The project examines:
Treatment effectiveness
Quality of life outcomes
Healthcare disparities
Caregiver burden
Long-term disease progression
Research Grants
The Foundation funds research through multiple mechanisms:
Center Grants — Support for Centers of Excellence
Innovation Grants — Seed funding for novel research
Fellowships — Training for early-career PD researchers
Clinical Trials — Direct funding for human studies
Drug Repurposing — Supporting trials of existing drugs for PD
Drug Repurposing Efforts
The Parkinson's Foundation supports drug repurposing through:
Clinical Trial Support — Providing infrastructure and patient access
Data Sharing — Parkinson's Outcomes Project data for repurposing research
Network Effects — Connecting researchers with potential collaborators
Advocacy — Supporting regulatory pathways for repurposed drugs
Priority Research Areas
| Area | Description | |------|-------------| | Disease Modification | Therapies that slow or halt progression | | Motor Symptoms | Improved treatments for movement symptoms | | Non-Motor Symptoms | Addressing sleep, mood, cognition issues | | Biomarkers | Early diagnosis and progression markers | | Precision Medicine | Personalized treatment approaches |
Centers of Excellence
The Parkinson's Foundation Centers of Excellence network includes over 50 premier treatment facilities worldwide[@centers].
Key Features
Multidisciplinary care teams
Movement disorder specialists
Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
Social workers and mental health support
Clinical trial access
Research programs
Participating Centers (Selected)
Banner Sun Health Research Institute (Arizona)
Boston University School of Medicine
Columbia University Medical Center
Johns Hopkins Medicine
Mayo Clinic
Mount Sinai Health System
Northwestern University
Stanford Medicine
University of California, San Diego
University of Florida
Patient Education and Support
Programs and Services
The Foundation provides comprehensive patient education: