People with Parkinson’s disease or parkinsonism have a much higher risk of hip and other fractures. The TOPAZ (Trial of Parkinson’s and Zoledronic Acid) study will test if zoledronate, an FDA-approved medication for osteoporosis (thinning of the bone), can prevent fractures in people with Parkinson’s disease, whether or not they have osteoporosis. Using zoledronate for this purpose is investigational. Continue reading for a summary of the study and to see if you are eligible to participate. You could receive $100 upon enrollment and $50 per year during the study.

You can participate in TOPAZ from the comfort of your home, as it is a completely remote study.

To be eligible, individuals must be at least 60 years of age with NO prior hip fracture, AND have been diagnosed with any of the following conditions:

• Parkinson’s disease
• Dementia with Lewy bodies
• Multiple system atrophy
• Progressive supranuclear palsy
• Cortical basal degeneration
• Vascular parkinsonism
• or another form of neurodegenerative parkinsonism

To learn more or to enroll, visit the study website TOPAZstudy.org. If you have questions, email TOPAZ@ucsf.edu, or call 415-317-5748.