Legislation to help fight Parkinson’s Disease has been signed into law by President Joe Biden.

The bipartisan measure was introduced earlier this year by U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, D-Conn. Called the Dr. Emmanuel Bilirakis and Honorable Jennifer Wexton National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act, it is the first-ever legislation solely devoted to ending Parkinson’s disease, according to Capito.

The bill aims to unite the federal government in a mission to cure and prevent Parkinson’s, alleviate financial and health burdens on American families, and reduce government spending over time.

“Through hard work and collaboration, we came together to establish a path forward to address Parkinson’s disease and strengthen our pursuit of a cure,” Capito said. “Now that this legislation is officially law, the federal government can unite around our mission of ending this disease, and establish a responsible plan that increases diagnosis and treatment, and supports research efforts already underway. Many West Virginians have stressed the need and importance of this effort, and I’m thrilled to deliver on behalf of them and all who have been impacted by this terrible disease.”

Capito first introduced the National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act in September 2022, and reintroduced the legislation in March 2023.

Capito said the new law came about from her conversations and visits she had directly with West Virginians who have been impacted by the disease. In November 2022, Capito attended a boxing class for people with Parkinson’s disease at the Charleston YMCA and learned about efforts to slow the progression of the disease. Additionally, she has frequently discussed support for individuals with neurological diseases with medical leadership at both the national and state level, particularly the National Institutes of Health and West Virginia University’s Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute.

The new law will create an advisory council comprising members of federal agencies that support research, care, and services for Parkinson’s, plus caregivers, patients, and other non-federal experts.

Specifically, the council will:

- Ensure coordination among federal entities with responsibility for managing, treating, and curing Parkinson’s disease

- Evaluate all current federal programs related to Parkinson’s disease

- Write a national plan to prevent and cure Parkinson’s, and reduce the financial impact of the disease on patients and the federal government

- Report to Congress on progress toward the plan’s goals.