Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Parkinson’s, Ann Sudmalis MP, has welcomed the $30 million injection into the research to trial promising drugs for Parkinson’s disease.
A further $6.8 million over four years will be provided to Primary Health Networks to improve access to specialised nursing care in the community for people living with movement disorders, including Parkinson’s disease. “Having worked closely with Parkinson’s Australia and hosting local families affected by Parkinson’s, this is a very strong passion of mine and the investment will be welcomed in Gilmore,” said Mrs. Sudmalis “Parkinson’s disease is recognised as the second most common disease affecting muscle control and related disorders,” Mrs. Sudmalis said. “More than 100,000 Australians are facing this progressive and debilitating illness – and without a medical breakthrough, this number is expected to double in 15 years,” said Mrs. Sudmalis. “Our Government is providing $30 million over five years to the Garvan Institute of Medical Research’s ‘Australian Parkinson’s Mission (1)’ to trial promising drugs to reduce the progression of the disease and allow people in Gilmore to live in their homes longer.” The Coalition Government’s combined investment of $36.8 million for Parkinson’s medical research through the Garvan Institute and in Parkinson’s nurses to improve the life of people living with the disease is extraordinary. People’s quality of life will be improved and ultimately the aim is to find a cure for this devastating condition. Up to 1,000 Australians from Victoria, NSW and Queensland living with Parkinson’s will test the effectiveness of four repurposed drugs, revolutionising our understanding of Parkinson’s, identifying new treatment targets and discovering new drugs. “The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) is an endowment fund, which will mature at $20 billion, providing a sustainable source of funding for vital medical research.” “It is the single largest boost in health and medical research funding in Australia’s history.” (1) The Australian Parkinson’s Mission is an international research collaboration between the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Shake it Up Australia Foundation, The Cure Parkinson’s Trust, Michael J Fox Foundation and Parkinson’s Australia.
