We understand this is a worrying time for people with Parkinson’s. The most important thing is to stay safe. Guidance is changing daily. Up-to-date advice can be found on the Parkinson’s UK website:
https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/news/understanding-coronavirus-and-parkinsons
Parkinson’s UK also provide current information and advice via their helpline: 0808 800 0303, as well as a Facebook Group ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/parkinsonsukcommunitygroup)
The PD STAT study is very close to completing. Most people have now finished all visits – thank you very much! For the remaining 30 or so people who are due their final visits, these are still really important to us and we will ask your local study teams to liaise with you about the safest and most practical way to achieve this.
It is a very difficult time, and we very much appreciate you all working with us to ensure that we are able to successfully complete PD STAT.
Very best wishes,
The PD STAT study team.
Simvastatin is a cholesterol lowering drug which evidence suggests might possibly protect nerve cells in the brain
from injury or loss. In this clinical trial, we want to see whether simvastatin has the potential to slow or halt the progression of Parkinson’s disease.
Eligible patients have been randomly allocated to one of two treatment groups: one group has received simvastatin
capsules to be taken orally, and the other has received a 'dummy drug'.
Information is being gathered from participants using a variety of questionnaires and practical tests during eight
PD STAT clinic visits. Participation in the trial lasts for just over two years.
The trial has closed to recruitment with a total of 235 participants recruited from 23 participating hospitals.
The trial is being led by the Peninsula Clinical Trials Unit at Plymouth University and sponsored by Plymouth
Hospitals NHS Trust. The study is being funded by The Cure Parkinson’s Trust and the JP Moulton Charitable Foundation.
