The EPA just moved to help stop Parkinson's. Now, it's Congress' turn
Let’s all encourage Congress to pass the National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act and try to end the second most common and fastest-growing neurological disease. The plan, once passed, will help to accelerate treatments and find cures for those with Parkinson’s and help to find ways to prevent people from getting Parkinson’s.
On Oct. 23, the Biden-Harris administration and the Environmental Protection Agency announced a proposed ban on a harmful toxin called trichlorethylene— or TCE. TCE is known to cause serious health issues, including cancer and Parkinson’s disease. In fact, a recent study showed that soldiers who served at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune had a 70% higher risk of developing PD than those who did their service elsewhere due to drinking water contaminated by TCE. There is also clear evidence that exposure to other harmful chemicals puts people at risk of developing this disease.
This proposed ban is an important step forward in preventing PD, and we applaud the EPA for doing the right thing. At the same time, Congress has an opportunity to do more by passing the National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act. This bill has support on both sides of the aisle with over 140 cosponsors in Congress to date. Let’s get it done.
There is no singular Parkinson’s experience. It can look different for each person and more than 1 million people in the US live with Parkinson’s disease. It’s not just an ‘old person’s disease.’ While the average age at diagnosis is 60 — Pola was younger — there will be thousands diagnosed this year in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. PD is also not just a movement disorder. There are many other symptoms ranging from anxiety and cognitive issues to loss of smell, gastrointestinal problems and everything in between.
Parkinson’s is an enormously complicated disease. Pola is one of about 15% of people with PD who have some sort of genetic link to the disease. Others have an environmental link. For many, the contributing factors are unknown. That makes finding a cure challenging and the need for research urgent. At present, there are no FDA approved therapies that slow down or halt the progression of PD.
Researchers have made extraordinary breakthroughs to aid our understanding of PD in 2023. Through The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s landmark study — Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative — researchers validated the first biological test that can detect PD in a living brain. Just a few months later, The Global Parkinson’s Genetics Program announced the discovery of a genetic variant that increases risk of PD in people of African descent. These major milestones are already transforming the future of PD research. And it’s just the beginning.
With Congress joining us in championing PD research, we can go even further. We thank Rep. Frank Pallone for his efforts in advancing the National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act out of the House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee and we thank him in advance for helping to pass this legislation through Congress in the current session.
It’s been a big year for PD research. There’s no better time to take advantage of this momentum to pave the way for new discoveries that could change the lives of a million Americans currently diagnosed with Parkinson’s and the lives of millions who might otherwise get Parkinson’s in the future. Let’s get it done.
Pola and Rich Sussman are residents of Rumson, New Jersey.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: EPA Parksinson's Disease effort should spur Congress
