(TheLibertyRevolution.com)- New numbers of Parkinson’s diagnoses are 50% higher than was initially estimated, according to Newsmax. The numbers are based on insurance claims and population growth detailed in a study that could reportedly increase the funding for disabled families.
Smaller U.S. studies conducted in the 1980s showed that around 60,000 people per year were diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. In 2020, that number was near 86,000 and will approach 90,000, according to James Beck, chief scientific officer for the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Parkinson’s is reportedly the second-most deadly neurodegenerative disease that is both disabling and incurable, coming just behind Alzheimer’s. The economic cost of the disease is an estimated $52 billion a year.
Researchers hope that the increased numbers will attract organizations such as the Parkinson’s Foundation and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, to increase funding for research and care.
2012 was the most recent year that necessary data was consistent amongst databases. Beck’s team reportedly analyzed data from large insurance companies and long-term health studies on more than 15 million adults in the U.S. and Canada.
“These updated estimates of incidence are necessary for understanding disease risk, planning healthcare delivery, and addressing care disparities,” Beck said.
Parkinson’s is reportedly diagnosed in 47 to 77 of every 100,000 adults over age 45 and in 108 to 112 of every 100,000 age 65 and older. Because age is the biggest factor in being diagnosed with the disease, Beck says that it isn’t surprising that older people are overrepresented.
Another study by Beck’s team shows that nearly 1 million adults in the U.S. are currently living with Parkinson’s. The drug market for the disease is estimated to reach around $8.4 billion by 2030, indicating a three billion dollar increase from just 2021.
Currently, there are only 700 neurologists specializing in movement disorders and because the U.S. population is aging, more older people are projected to be diagnosed with the disease, Beck says.
