Breaking News: Parkinson’s Advisory Council Highlights Partnerships to Accelerate Research Progress
The Advisory Council on Parkinson’s Research, Care, and Services (ACPRCS) met in Washington, D.C., on November 9, 2026, for its third public meeting. The APDA team attended the meeting in-person to hear the discussions and presentations first-hand and report the latest back to our Parkinson’s community.
The meeting highlighted how partnerships across government, research institutions, nonprofit organizations, industry, and the Parkinson’s community can help accelerate progress toward better diagnostics and treatments for Parkinson’s disease (PD) and related disorders.
Below are key takeaways from the meeting and ways you can continue to inform the Council’s efforts as it works to develop the National Plan to End Parkinson’s, a national strategy to prevent, diagnose, treat, and ultimately cure Parkinson’s disease.
November 9 ACPRCS Meeting: What You Need to Know
The November meeting focused on progress in Parkinson’s and related disorders through partnerships, spotlighting efforts to translate scientific discoveries into new diagnostic and treatment options.
Key highlights included:
- Remarks from PD Congressional Champions. Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Representative Paul Tonko (NY-20), Senator Shelley Moore Capito (WV), Senator Chris Murphy (CT), and former U.S. Representative Jennifer Wexton (VA 10), provided opening remarks at the ACPRCS meeting. These PD Congressional Champions expressed the importance of establishing clear, measurable goals in the National Plan and the need to support access to care.
- Moving research discoveries into real-world use. Presenters highlighted examples of research that has advanced toward clinical application, including deep brain stimulation, imaging technologies, alpha-synuclein seed amplification assays, and MRI-based diagnostic tools.
- Improving our understanding of Parkinson’s biology and genetic risk. The Council heard about large-scale collaborative research efforts, including Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s, the Global Parkinson’s Genetics Program, and research focused on the genetics of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP).
- Building better, more efficient clinical trials. Researchers discussed approaches to make clinical trials more informative, efficient, and cost-effective. The session featured initiatives including the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), platform trial approaches, and federal biomarker programs.
- Harnessing the power of public-private partnerships. A session on the NIH Accelerating Medicines Partnership (AMP) highlighted how federal agencies, industry, nonprofit organizations, and other partners can work together to accelerate research and therapeutic development for Parkinson’s and related disorders.
- Including the voices of people with lived experience. Perspectives from people with lived experience were incorporated into discussions, and the meeting included a dedicated public comment period to provide another opportunity for the Parkinson’s community to inform the Council’s work.
Why This Matters for the Parkinson’s Community
No single organization or sector can end Parkinson’s alone. The November meeting emphasized the importance of collaboration across the Parkinson’s research ecosystem to move promising science from discovery to meaningful improvements in diagnosis, treatment, and care.
These conversations are particularly important as the ACPRCS continues its work to inform the National Plan to End Parkinson’s. APDA will remain actively engaged in this process and advocate for a National Plan that reflects the priorities and needs of people living with Parkinson’s and their families.
Earlier in the Council process, APDA emphasized priorities including increased federal investment in Parkinson’s research and the development of a longitudinal, integrated care model that improves access to high-quality, coordinated care for people with Parkinson’s and their care partners.
What Happens Next and How to Be Involved
Sign the Petition
Your advocacy helped bring the Advisory Council on Parkinson’s Research, Care, and Services to fruition. We need to hear your voice again: Sign the petition by November 23 and urge the Council to make meaningful progress to fully realize the priorities that matter most to people with Parkinson’s and their families.
Submit a Public Comment to the ACPRCS
People with Parkinson’s, care partners, researchers, health professionals, advocates, and other members of the community can continue to share their priorities with the Council. Your insights and feedback can help inform the Council’s deliberations and recommendations.
- Email your comments to NationalPDplan@nih.gov (be sure to put “public comment” in the subject line). The deadline to submit your comment for the December 7 ACPRCS meeting is November 30.
- Learn more about the National Plan to End Parkinson’s and opportunities to participate through the NIH/NINDS National Plan to End Parkinson’s webpage.
Stay Connected
- Watch the next ACPRCS Meeting on December 7, 2026 via HHS Live Streaming. (Note: The date for the next ACPRCS meeting is subject to change.)
- Sign up for APDA Advocacy Action Alerts to learn about opportunities to make your voice heard.
- APDA will continue to follow the ACPRCS closely and keep you informed about future meetings, opportunities for public engagement, and progress toward the National Plan to End Parkinson’s.
APDA will remain engaged with the Council as it develops the National Plan to End Parkinson’s to help ensure the plan is shaped by the Parkinson’s community, for the Parkinson’s community.
Learn more at APDA Advocacy or email us at advocacy@apdaparkinson.org.