MJFF joins Pennsylvania Representative Kyle Mullins (D-112) and advocates to announce a new effort to secure state funding for neurodegenerative disease research.
On November 12, 2025, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D) signed the state’s annual budget into law, which included $5 million in new funding for neurodegenerative disease research. With this investment, Pennsylvania joins a growing number of states directly funding research on Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, ALS and other brain diseases.
This effort was spearheaded in the state legislature by Representative Kyle Mullins (D-112) who partnered with Representative Bryan Cutler (R-100) to lead a bipartisan effort to officially secure the funding as part of the state’s $50.1 billion budget.
Laying the Groundwork for Pennsylvania’s $5 Million Research Commitment
In addition to the $5 million investment, the state’s budget also authorizes the creation of the Neurodegenerative Disease Research Program. The new program will be operated by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, which is expected to use the $5 million to fund research grants to support scientists driving critical discoveries at academic clinical medical centers across the state.
The path to this achievement began in June 2024, when The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) joined Rep. Mullins to announce his intention to seek this new program and funding for research. “The Michael J. Fox Foundation strongly supports the need for collaborative and dedicated funding for innovative scientific research for Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases,” said Julia Pitcher, MJFF’s director of state government relations, at the time.
This work is personal for both Rep. Mullins and Rep. Cutler, who each lost a parent to ALS. Motivated by their experiences and recognizing the urgent need for more research funding, the lawmakers worked together to craft a legislative solution.
Their efforts were supported by a broad coalition of advocates and nonprofit organizations including MJFF, ALS United Mid-Atlantic, the Greater Pennsylvania chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association and Parkinson Foundation Western Pennsylvania.
The state’s budget also includes continued funding for neurodegenerative research through the Tobacco Settlement Fund. Created in 2001 after states brought lawsuits against tobacco companies to recover health care costs from smoking-related illnesses, the Fund began allocating resources for neurodegenerative disease research in 2024. This new $5 million investment builds upon that foundation, reinforcing Pennsylvania’s commitment to advancing improved therapies for diseases like Parkinson’s.
The Path Forward for State-funded Research
This year, MJFF took on a new goal to expand state-level government investment in Parkinson’s research, piloting legislative efforts in California, Connecticut, Florida, Pennsylvania and Texas. This Pennsylvania win comes shortly after another major milestone — on November 4, Texas voters passed Proposition 14, unlocking the largest sum of state funds for Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and dementia research in U.S. history. The work in California, Florida and other states will continue during 2026 legislative sessions.
Sustained advocacy is essential to securing new state research investments. Sign up for the Parkinson’s Policy Network, our nationwide community of advocates shaping public policies that advance research and improve lives.