Help cure Parkinson’s disease: please don’t waste the Golden Year

Relationship between time of diagnosis, need for symptomatic therapy and the opportunity for a patient to participate in an early PD disease modifying therapy trial. a The patient is diagnosed with early PD soon after the onset of motor symptoms and is enrolled in a disease modifying clinical trial. The “Golden Year” is the time from when a diagnosis of early PD can be made and the time when symptomatic therapy is needed. The red dashed line represents the potential disease slowing that might be associated with a disease modifying therapy. b The patient has waited to be evaluated until they need symptomatic therapy. They are no longer eligible to particpate in a disease modifying clinical trial and the Golden Year has been wasted. c The patient is diagnosed with early PD soon after the onset of motor symptoms but is immediately placed on symptomatic therapy. The patient is no longer eligible to participate in a disease modifying clinical trial and the Golden Year has been waste