Damien Gath is among the first people in the U.K. to experience a new Parkinson’s disease treatment that has brought a remarkable transformation to his daily life.
In 2012 Gath was diagnosed with the progressive neurological disorder that causes damage to parts of the brain over time, leading to symptoms such as involuntary tremors, muscle stiffness and slowed movement. Simple tasks, like making a cup of tea, required twice as much effort for Gath as seen in a recent viral video.
In the next scene recorded a few days later, the 52-year-old is shown performing the same task, but this time, his body doesn’t tremble, and he appears calm—a transformation made possible by Produodopa, a new infusion therapy administered via a portable pump under the skin for patients with advanced Parkinson’s.
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“I feel the future for those with Parkinson’s disease (PD) is brightening,” Dr. Nishantha Silva, who has been Damien’s consultant for 12 years, told Newsweek.
Left, Damien Gath can be seen suffering from tremors while making a cup of tea. Right, he appears to be a different person a few days later as he makes one with zero Parkinson’s symptoms.
NHS England
On August 5, the U.K’s National Health Service (NHS) posted the clip of Gath that has racked up over 3 million views on Instagram.
An extract from the caption includes a quote from Gath.
“It’s been extraordinary and life-changing,” he said. “The massive difference is that there are now no fluctuations. So soon after first having the treatment I was able make a cup of coffee more easily and go to the supermarket, and I am also sleeping so much better.”
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What Is the New Parkinson’s Drug?
Produodopa is delivered through continuous infusion therapy, eliminating the fluctuations often seen with oral medications as their effects wear off between doses. The portable drug infusion provides a steady release of medication, leading to improved symptom management.
Is Produodopa Available in the U.S.?
Nearly one million people in the U.S. are living with the disease, according to The Parkinson’s Foundation. However, the treatment is not yet available in the United States. It is currently available in Europe but it is still awaiting FDA approval in the U.S. under the name ABBV-951. The FDA has requested additional information regarding its infusion device before it can be considered for approval in the American market.
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Damien Gath’s Experience
Newsweek discussed Gath’s case with Silva, a consultant geriatrician and specialist lead for Parkinson’s disease at Sherwood Forest Hospitals in Derbyshire, England.
“Damien’s control of his Parkinson’s disease has gradually become increasingly difficult due to complications arising from the progression of the disease and the adverse effects of treatment over the last couple of years,” he told Newsweek. “However, I am pleased that Damien has responded well to the treatment.
“We are still making some fine adjustments to his infusion, and I remain confident that we will be able to maintain a good quality of life for him in the years to come.”
Silva praised Damien’s positive attitude toward the condition and told said that those who “who approach the disease positively and adapt to it tend to do better overall.”
“I also want to emphasize that PD is a heterogeneous condition, and there is significant personal variability in how it manifests and progresses in different patients,” he said.
The expert emphasizes that while current Parkinson’s medications, including Produodopa, do not modify the disease itself, significant progress has been made in improving symptom control and enhancing patients’ quality of life.
Produodopa is particularly recommended for those who do not achieve adequate control with other treatments. Looking forward, advances in research and technology offer hope for more personalized treatments and the potential to slow disease progression, paving the way for a brighter future for those living with PD.
Instagram Reacts
One Instagram user wrote: “Specialising in neuro it is so beautiful to see this. This is going to change and improve the lives of so many Parkinson’s sufferers.”
“That is absolutely incredible. What a game changer,” said another.
A third commenter wrote: “That’s incredible-quality of life given back.”
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