The Impact of <scp>COVID</scp>‐19 on Access to Parkinson's Disease Medication
Julia L.Y. Cheong, Zhao Hang Keith Goh, Connie Marras, Caroline M. Tanner, Meike Kasten, Alastair J. Noyce, the Movement Disorders Society Epidemiology Study Group
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Many countries have implemented drastic measures to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Restrictions and diversion of resources may have negatively affected patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Our aim was to examine whether COVID-19 had an impact on access to PD medication by region and income. METHODS: This study was conducted as part of a survey sent to members of the Movement Disorders Society focusing on access to PD medication globally. RESULTS: Of 346 responses, 157 (45.4%) agreed that COVID-19 had affected access to PD medication, while 189 (54.6%) disagreed. 22.8% of high-income and 88.9% of low-income countries' respondents agreed that access to PD medication was affected by COVID-19. 59% of all 'yes' respondents reported increased disability of patients as an impact. CONCLUSIONS: Access to PD medication is likely to have been affected by COVID-19 and result in deterioration of patients' symptomatic control. Resource-poor countries appear to be disproportionately affected compared to more affluent countries. © 2020 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.