Addressing Parkinson to strengthen our health systems

Today, more than 1.2 million Europeans live with the condition, and this number is expected to double by 2030. It is progressive, incurable, and deeply disruptive not only for patients and families, but also for health systems that are already under strain¹. 

Despite its growing impact, care for Parkinson’s patients remains fragmented and uneven across the Union. Many still face years of diagnostic delays², limited access to specialist services³, and hurdles in receiving advanced therapies⁴.

This is not a marginal issue. It is a test of our commitment to building resilient health systems that serve all Europeans, fairly and effectively.

Across Member States, shortages in neurologists, the absence of structured specialist nursing roles, and the underuse of digital tools make it harder to deliver care where it is needed most

The European Parliament is preparing to advance its work on the health workforc crisis, we will also work on a European Neurological Health Strategy with a report and planned hearing. We must ensure that neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s are not overlooked.

Across Member States, shortages in neurologists⁵, the absence of structured specialist nursing roles⁶, and the underuse of digital tools⁷ make it harder to deliver care where it is needed most.

The gaps are particularly stark in Central and Eastern Europe: in Czechia, for example, advanced Parkinson’s treatments are currently confined to just three specialised centres, leaving many patients outside urban hubs with little chance of timely access ; in Bulgaria, approval for treatment depends on an expert committee that only meets several times a year, forcing eligible patients onto long waiting lists ; in Lithuania, shortages of multi-disciplinary teams, combined with slow recognition of innovative therapies, mean patients fall behind their Western counterparts.

My own country, Poland, illustrates both the challenges and the potential for change. Parkinson’s is more common among women here⁸, yet access to advanced treatment depends on approval from a specialist committee.

Even after approval, delays in funding from the National Health Fund have left patients waiting for months, at risk of preventable complications like dangerous falls. Thanks to strong advocacy by patient groups, we are beginning to see commitments to reduce decision timelines and review how contracts are implemented. But progress must be sustained and scaled up.

Many, not only in Poland, including myself, see great potential in innovative therapies, including those being developed by professor Mirosław Ząbek, at Bródnowski Hospital in Warsaw. This €35 million* gene therapy project under the European Commission’s STEP program involves groundbreaking gene therapy in Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s^9,10

Unfortunately, we still have a wider European challenge: our healthcare systems remain too fragmented. Specialised care often operates in isolation from emergency services that manage its consequences.

By strengthening the health workforce, investing in digital tools, and building integrated care models, we can ensure that patients with Parkinson’s, and their families, receive the care they deserve

Patients and families are left navigating a maze, while time is lost and conditions worsen. Integrated care pathways, which connects primary care, specialists, hospitals, and community support, must become the norm.

That is why I strongly support the Call to Action being launched by patient advocates, clinicians, and industry partners. It urges us to leverage existing EU initiatives to optimise Parkinson’s care across Europe. But words alone are not enough. What we need now is political will and concrete action.

By strengthening the health workforce, investing in digital tools, and building integrated care models, we can ensure that patients with Parkinson’s, and their families, receive the care they deserve.

Europe cannot afford to wait. The future of our health systems, and the dignity of millions, depends on it.

*Project funding is 150 million Polish zloty. Conversion based on October 2025 average.

The editorial funding to Parliament Magazine is provided by AbbVie as part of the Call to Action on Enhancing Parkinson’s Care in Europe, which was developed in partnership with Parkinson’s Europe, the European Federation of Neurological Associations, the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society – Europe Section.

AbbVie sa nv - BE-NEUP-250014 (v1.0) – Nov 2025

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