Assessing the Efficacy of Cell Transplantation for Parkinson’s Disease: A Patient-Centered Approach

BACKGROUND: Evidence from a growing number of preclinical studies indicate that recently discovered stem cell lines may be translated into viable cellular therapies for people with Parkinson’s disease. OBJECTIVES: In a brief but critical review, we examine the use of primary and secondary outcome measures currently used to evaluate the efficacy of cellular therapies. METHODS: The current practice of relying on a single primary outcome measure does not appear to provide the evidence required for demonstrating the robust, life-changing recovery anticipated with the successful implementation of cellular therapies. RESULTS: We propose a 360-degree assessment protocol, which includes co-primary and composite outcome measures to provide accurate and comprehensive evidence of treatment efficacy, from the perspectives of both the researchers and the patients.