Parkinson's and the Global Financial Crisis

Since we appear to be in a recession in the US and around the world, we can expect it to effect private and publicly funded research into the causes and cure of Parkinson's Disease.

In the private sector there will be lower stock market and real estate profits which in turn could offset the ability to make large contributions. Major Parkinson's foundations, other medical foundations and universities will face the same increased costs and lower income problems as private companies. They will all need to cut costs by reducing services and cutting payrolls. Universities will probably have lower enrollments during the next few years because fewer prospective students will be able to get loans for tuition.

Parkinson's lobbying groups are trying to get an increase in the fiscal 2009 budget for NIH that will equal biomedical inflation. Whoever is President is going to need to make large cuts in the US budget. The climate will become colder for getting the needed increases.

Pharmaceutical companies often borrow money to fund research and development costs from one phase to the next. Their ability to do that is going to be difficult because of the credit freeze.

There is research in final stages and medications awaiting FDA approval. While some of these are adjuncts to existing treatments there may still be good news around the corner.