Charleston Leader

Today, the Dr. Emmanuel Bilirakis and Honorable Jennifer Wexton National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act, legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), was signed into law. The bill, which passed the U.S. Senate in May, aims to unite the federal government in a mission to cure and prevent Parkinson’s, alleviate financial and health burdens on American families, and reduce government spending over time.

“Through hard work and collaboration, we came together to establish a path forward to address Parkinson’s disease and strengthen our pursuit of a cure. Now that this legislation is officially law, the federal government can unite around our mission of ending this disease, and establish a responsible plan that increases diagnosis and treatment, and supports research efforts already underway. Many West Virginians have stressed the need and importance of this effort, and I’m thrilled to deliver on behalf of them and all who have been impacted by this terrible disease,” Senator Capito said.

Senator Capito first introduced the National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act in September 2022, reintroducing it in March 2023. Her efforts stem from conversations with West Virginians affected by the disease. In November 2022, she attended a boxing class for people with Parkinson’s at the Charleston YMCA in West Virginia to learn about efforts to slow its progression. Additionally, she frequently discusses support for individuals with neurological diseases with medical leadership at both national institutions like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and local entities such as West Virginia University’s Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute (RNI).

The Dr. Emmanuel Bilirakis and Honorable Jennifer Wexton National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act will create an advisory council comprising members of federal agencies supporting research, care, services for Parkinson’s patients as well as caregivers, patients themselves, and other non-federal experts.

Specifically, the council will:

Ensure coordination among federal entities responsible for managing, treating, and curing Parkinson’s disease;

Evaluate all current federal programs related to Parkinson’s;

Write a national plan to prevent and cure Parkinson's while reducing its financial impact on patients and the federal government;

Report progress toward these goals to Congress.

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