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Carole, With respect, I have to disagree with you. Yes, we (PWP's) have to take some form of medication to manage the symptoms, but we should not allow ourselves to be used by the Pharmaceutical Co.'s like specimens in a living laboratory; and continue accepting that there are serious side-effects leading to complications and subsequent death. Parkinson's in its self does not cause death. As long as we remain silent the Pharma co.'s will continue to go unchecked, making obscene profits, and convincing the medical world that fatalities, from side-effects, are an acceptable percentage; like a form of collateral damage. Like someone else mentioned, there's no drug on the market which cure's; in nearly all cases they are designed to control/suppress the symptoms; and virtually all have side-effects. The Pharma Co.'s are not interested in Cures because there's no long term revenue stream. Yet they spend billions in research, supposedly on finding cures but only ever launch more drug's that manage/control and sell at ridiculous prices, which they justify because of the high R&D cost. A disgusting example of the consequence of this, is the denial of a drug for MS, for my neighbour, because his age/profile fails the benefit/cost criteria, as set by the NHS, BECAUSE OF THE HIGH COST OF THE DRUG. Personally, I think he's better off without the drug. I have taken Permax/Pergolide for almost 6yrs; side-effects - vasculor damage. Mirapex - side effects as noted. Sinemet - increased dosage leads to accelerated depletion of natural dopamine and subsequent loss of effectiveness. We live in an age of technology; we have the power of the internet to access data, share findings and prepare/collate results. PD may affect our ability to walk but it hasn't taken away our capacity to think and argue our case. As long as we have our minds, we can [should] constructively challenge the status-quo; and force changes in diagnosis and alternative therapies. We owe it to ourselves and to future generations, to do so, tto contain and sink this Neurological 'iceberg'. Marco [UK] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn