How to join a trial

What taking part involves

• Checks before you join. Each trial has its own rules, such as age, how long you have had Parkinson's and which medicines you take. You may need tests first, such as a brain scan or a spinal fluid sample.
• You may not get the new treatment. Many trials are randomised: chance decides who gets the treatment and who gets a placebo. Often nobody knows which you are getting until the end.
• Visits and tests. Most trials ask you to visit a clinic often, for months or years. Visits can include blood tests, scans and movement checks.
• Some risk. A new treatment can have side effects that nobody knows about yet. Trials of cells or gene therapy usually need brain surgery. The trial team must explain the risks before you agree.
• You can stop at any time. You do not have to give a reason. Leaving a trial does not affect your usual care.

Who trials look for

Most trials that test whether a drug slows Parkinson's look for people in the early stages. Some look for people with a particular gene change, such as LRRK2 or GBA. Some look for people who do not have Parkinson's yet but may be at risk. This includes people with REM sleep behaviour disorder.

Trials of new cells or growth factors often want people who have had Parkinson's for some years.

Not every study tests a drug. Some follow people over time to learn how Parkinson's changes. Some need people without Parkinson's, to compare with. These studies matter too.

See the 28 trials on this site with results still to come, and who each one is for.

Find a trial

These official finders list trials that are looking for people now. Each link leaves this site.

United Kingdom

• Be Part of ResearchFrom the NHS research service (NIHR). Search UK studies by condition and place. You can also sign up to be told about new studies.
• Take part in researchFrom Parkinson's UK. Parkinson's studies in the UK, including ones for people without Parkinson's.

United States and other countries

• Fox Trial FinderFrom the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Parkinson's studies you can filter by where you live and what you are looking for.
• ClinicalTrials.govFrom the US National Library of Medicine. The largest trial registry. Most of the trials on this site link to their entry here.

European Union

• Search for clinical trialsFrom the European Medicines Agency. Trials of medicines in EU countries.

Australia

• Australian Clinical TrialsFrom the Australian Government. Trials running in Australia, searchable by condition.

Anywhere

• ICTRP search portalFrom the World Health Organization. Searches trial registries from many countries at once.

Links checked 22 Oct 2026.

Questions to ask before you join

• What is the trial testing, and what is already known about it?
• Could I get a placebo? Will I find out which I had?
• How many visits are there, and how long does each take?
• Are travel costs paid?
• What happens to my usual medicines?
• What happens when the trial ends? Can I keep taking the treatment if it helps?
• Who do I contact if I have a problem?

Be careful

A real trial does not usually charge you to take part. Be wary of clinics that ask you to pay for "stem-cell" or other treatments. These have not been tested in the trials on this site. They can cost a great deal and may be unsafe.

Before you join, check that the study is listed in an official registry. Talk it over with your neurologist or Parkinson's nurse.