A trial of treatments to slow progression of Parkinson's disease

To join this study, you need to have a Parkinson's disease diagnosis from a doctor, neurologist, or someone with similar experience. You must have been diagnosed with Parkinson's when you were 30 years old or older, and there's no upper age limit to take part. You should also have been taking Parkinson's medication (like levodopa or similar drugs) for at least two months before the start of the study.

For everyone joining, we'll need to get your agreement to take part in the study, which we call 'informed consent'. If you're a woman who could become pregnant, you'll need to have a negative pregnancy test before starting. If you (or your partner, if you're a man and your partner could become pregnant) are of child-bearing age, you'll need to agree to use effective contraception throughout the study and for a short time afterwards. There might also be some specific reasons related to the trial medications that mean you can or can't join. That's why we always check carefully.

There are also some reasons why you might not be able to join. These are usually related to other medical conditions or treatments that could make the study medicines unsafe for you. All these details will be discussed fully with you by the study team to make sure it's safe and suitable for you to take part.

If you decide to take part, the first step is an in-person screening visit where we'll check if the study is right for you. This will include a blood test and a heart trace (ECG) for safety. You'll then be given one of the study treatments or a placebo, and we'll follow your progress for up to 36 months (3 years).

After the first visit, most of your follow-up appointments can be done remotely, either by video call or phone. These visits will happen at 3 months, 6 months, and then every 6 months after that, for the whole 36 months. If you prefer to come to the clinic for these visits, you absolutely can, and we'll help cover your travel costs up to £40 per visit. During these check-ups, we'll ask you to fill out questionnaires, assess your Parkinson's symptoms, and discuss any side effects you might be having.

You'll be given a blood pressure monitor to use at home, and instructions on how to use it, as some treatments can affect blood pressure. We'll also ask for two extra blood samples at the start and end of the study for additional research. We'll keep you updated on the study's progress through a website, and the final results will be published. If you have a partner who helps care for you, they could also take part in an optional sub-study by completing some questionnaires about how caregiving affects their quality of life. This is only if you agree to it and your partner is happy to participate.