The prevalence, burden of disability, and number of deaths associated with Parkinson’s disease all more than doubled between 1990 and 2016. These increases are not entirely attributable to rising population age, and other potential contributing factors include greater exposure to risk factors and longer disease duration. The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are treatable but, in many areas of the world, access to therapy remains unacceptably low. Levodopa is listed as a WHO essential medicine and is less expensive than many other treatments but is still unavailable or unaffordable for many patients.

WHO launched a technical brief entitled “Parkinson Disease: a Public Health Approach” developed in consultation with experts from around the world, including people living with Parkinson’s disease. The document is intended as a resource for policymakers, health program managers and planners, health-care providers, researchers, people with Parkinson’s disease, carers, and other stakeholders, and is in line with the aims of the new WHO Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders 2022–2031 (IGAP). After summarising the problems faced by people with Parkinson’s disease, the technical brief lists 43 key actions in seven areas:

  • global health policies
  • advocacy and awareness raising
  • prevention and risk reduction
  • availability of basic drugs and therapies
  • strengthening health and social systems and building capacity
  • carer support
  • research

“The global burden of Parkinson’s disease is rising quickly, and even access to an essential medicine is not keeping up. WHO correctly considers that “An urgent public health response is necessary to meet the health and social requirements of people with Parkinson’s disease”. Politicians and other people in charge of health services need to pay attention to these new documents and respond, urgently.” 1

You can read the complete editorial here.

References

  1. The Lancet Neurology. (2022b, September). Parkinson’s disease needs an urgent public health response. The Lancet Neurology, 21(9), 759. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1474-4422(22)00312-x

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