SPRING are delighted to announce the launch of their web site, at
http://spring.parkinsons.org.uk/
SPRING, (Special Parkinson's Research Interest Group) is the official
Special Interest Group for Medical Research, constituted within the
Parkinson's Disease Society of the UK.
Amongst the highlights of the site are:
- Information about SPRING and the SPRING research strategy
- SPRING's regular magazine on Parkinson's research, SPRING Times,
including the current and previous articles
- How to join/support SPRING
SPRING are also working with a number of other groups to create lay
abstracts of research papers; this work is currently awaiting
funding, and a prototype can be seen at http://www.pdresearch.org/
The formal press release follows.
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PRESS RELEASE
New research web site for Parkinson's patients
From January 1st 2000 people with Parkinson's Disease (PD) can access
a new web site that will give them information in lay language about
the progress being made in medical research into the causes and cure
for this disease. The web site address is
http://spring.parkinsons.org.uk/
Although Parkinson's Disease was identified over 200 years ago a cure
has not yet been found. This web site will inform people with PD
about the optimistic messages that are coming out of the research
community.
The web site is a joint venture between SPRING, a patients and carers
group with a special interest in medical research which is a part of
the Parkinson's Disease Society of the UK (PDS), and the British
Library, (http://www.bl.uk/).
Dr Richard Wakeford of the British Library Health Care Information
Service said "We have a lot of information that we would like to make
available to the public. We are working with SPRING to provide a
model for publicising our information to similar groups."
Charles Holme Chair of SPRING said, "Our research shows that there is
not a web site that provides this sort of information. The web is an
ideal way to reach a wider audience. The site is still being
developed and we need funds to develop it further. But I am sure it
will be a service that will benefit patients and their relatives who
are affected by this disease. We would encourage the increasing
number of people with PD and their relatives who have Internet
connections, to access the site"
SPRING's web site was developed by the Adrienne Coles Memorial Trust
(http://www.coles.org.uk/) and is hosted by New Information Paradigms
(http://www.nipltd.com/).
For more information about this press release, please contact us via
email at [log in to unmask]
Notes to Editors
1. SPRING has as one of its objectives to present medical research into PD
into lay language. Up to now that has been done through newsletters and
meetings. Other objectives include efforts to speed the search for a cure
and better treatments for PD.
2. The British Library holds one of the world's major collections of medical
and healthcare literature. It is the publisher of the Allied and Alternative
Medicine Database (AMED) and is the UK Medline Centre.
3. PD is a progressive neurological condition, which can affect all activities
of a person's life. Symptoms include tremor, muscle stiffness and slowness
of movement. Current drug therapy works well for a few years to alleviate
the symptoms but leads inevitably to serious and disabling side effects
such as involuntary movements.
4. The PDS was founded in 1969 and has over 25000 members. The Society
helps people with Parkinson's and their carers through providing support
and advice and disseminating information.
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--------- My opinions are my own, NIP's opinions are theirs ----------
Simon J. Coles Email: [log in to unmask]
New Information Paradigms Work Phone: +44 1344 753703
http://www.nipltd.com/ Work Fax: +44 1344 772510
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