By: Allison Kronberg
Kim Erickson, 59, had to retire early from his job as an airline pilot after he learned that he had Parkinson’s disease. Since then, he’s participated in several clinical trials that he says could help find a cure.
But in that sense, he’s a rare case.
Less than 1 percent of people with Parkinson’s disease participate in clinical trials, and many end up dropping out before a trial’s completion. Without enough patients, researchers can’t complete the trials that are necessary to advance treatment options.