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Advocates and Michael J. Fox Foundation urge $500,000 Parkinson's research account in HB 7,233
Summary
Patients, advocates and the Michael J. Fox Foundation testified in favor of HB 7,233 to create a $500,000 Parkinson's disease research account administered by the Department of Public Health, arguing investment could accelerate treatments and potential cures and yield economic benefits.
Patients, advocates and the Michael J. Fox Foundation asked the Appropriations Committee to create a Parkinson's disease research account at $500,000 through HB 7,233.
Speakers included Lynn Hagerbrand, who described founding a Parkinson's Body and Mind program and urged state investment in research; she told the committee research into precision medicine and cell-replacement therapies is promising and would benefit Connecticut families. Zach Hardy, senior manager of state government relations for the Michael J. Fox Foundation, outlined the foundation's global research investment (more than $2 billion) and cited national prevalence and economic cost estimates: more than 1 million Americans live with Parkinson's and national costs are roughly $52 billion annually (testimony cited a Connecticut estimate of roughly $617 million per year for the state's population of people living with Parkinson's).
Advocates told the committee funding would accelerate treatment development and that state investment would signal public commitment to a growing public-health need. The committee took testimony and did not vote at the hearing.
