Background: 

The EJS ACT-PD Initiative aims to revolutionise clinical trials in Parkinson’s by using an innovative study design called a Multi-Arm, Multi-stage (MAMS) or a platform trial. This means that multiple treatments can be tested in a single “super study” and compared against one sugar pill (placebo). Expert members of the EJS ACT-PD Initiative will scrutinise the different drugs available and select the most promising to be included in the trial, based on their potential to slow or stop Parkinson’s progression. The EJS ACT-PD Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Group has provided and continues to provide major input into all study decisions. The treatments tested will be reviewed at regular checkpoints to see whether they appear to be working. Any treatments that do not seem to be working will be replaced by a new treatment, without needing to stop the trial.

Study Benefits:

There are lots of benefits to this type of trial:

• There is a lower percentage of participants randomised into the placebo group. This increases the number of participants receiving potentially beneficial medication

• When new treatments are identified they can be added into this study rather than needing a new study of their own. This saves time and money.

• Treatments are assessed during the trial to check if they appear to be working. If a treatment does not appear to be working then recruitment to that arm will be stopped, and replaced with a new promising treatment.