evidence: At the annual Internal Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society conference in Hong Kong this weekend, researchers presented results of the NIC-PD trial, an MJFF-supported study evaluating nicotine patches in Parkinson's disease (PD). The investigators reported that nicotine patches do not slow clinical disease progression. [...] KK: There is strong epidemiological evidence (population studies) that links smoking with a lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease. This is only an association -- there are possibly factors other than exposure to smoking (or nicotine) that could explain the association. But pre-clinical studies also demonstrate that nicotine reduces the severity of illness in Parkinson's models. These findings motivated investigating nicotine in people with PD. Nicotine patches also are low-cost and widely available. These are attractive qualities for a potential Parkinson's treatment. [...] KK: This was a well-designed study that provides a clear and convincing answer to a long-standing question. Nicotine patches are an example of a repurposed therapy (a drug approved for one condition that is investigated for potential benefit in Parkinson's) and often there isn't much industry interest in studying these therapies. MJFF support made this trial, which involved an international collaboration, possible.