Michael J. Fox Foundation Vice President Of Medical Communications Joins Alliance For Patient Access Meeting

NEW YORK, July 29, 2016 

Today, Rachel Dolhun, MD, vice president of medical communications at The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF), will join a coalition of physicians for the inaugural meeting of the Physicians Neurodegenerative Disease Working Group in Washington, D.C. The group will discuss issues impacting patient access to medical therapies and recommend educational resources and advocacy initiatives with the goal of informing policymaking around breakthrough therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD).

The recently established Physicians Neurodegenerative Disease Working Group is organized by the Alliance for Patient Access (AfPA), a national network of physicians dedicated to ensuring patient access to approved therapies and appropriate clinical care. The working group aims to address a number of barriers to access, including high out-of-pocket costs and insurance restrictions. To advocate for patients with PD, Dr. Dolhun draws on her previous clinical experience as a movement disorder specialist as well as her current work in communications at MJFF.

Parkinson's disease affects one million people in the United States. No disease-modifying therapy has yet been proven, but a number of potential drugs are in development. New symptomatic treatments for both motor and non-motor symptoms have recently reached market and many more are in late stages of clinical trials. While working aggressively to accelerate therapeutic development, MJFF is concurrently supporting Parkinson's public policy efforts to reduce challenges to patients' access to care and new therapies. Dr. Dolhun's participation in the AfPA conference represents MJFF's commitment to these endeavors.  

Learn more about the Foundation's work to speed a cure for PD at michaeljfox.org.

About The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research

As the world's largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson's research, The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to accelerating a cure for Parkinson's disease and improved therapies for those living with the condition today. The Foundation pursues its goals through an aggressively funded, highly targeted research program coupled with active global engagement of scientists, Parkinson's patients, industry leaders, government research funders and regulators, clinical trial participants, donors and volunteers. In addition to funding more than $600 million in research to date, the Foundation has fundamentally altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure. The Foundation increases the flow of participants into Parkinson's disease clinical trials with its online tools Fox Trial Finder and Fox Insight; sponsors a landmark, international study to find reliable and consistent biomarkers of Parkinson's progression; promotes Parkinson's awareness through high-profile events and outreach; advocates for state and federal policies that support medical research and increased access to health care; and coordinates the involvement of thousands of Team Fox members and grassroots volunteers around the world.

For more information, visit www.michaeljfox.org.

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