Michael J. Fox receives Lasker~Bloomberg Public Service Award for leadership in Parkinson’s research

Michael J. Fox has received the 2026 Lasker~Bloomberg Public Service Award for his work advancing Parkinson’s research and patient advocacy.

The actor, advocate and founder of The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) was recognised for helping to accelerate research into improved treatments and a cure for Parkinson’s disease.

The Lasker Foundation’s citation recognised Fox for “dispelling the stigma of the disease and spearheading a revolution in the world of Parkinson’s research.”

Fox said: “Receiving a Lasker is humbling.

“I share this honour with everyone who works side by side with us — scientists, policymakers, and most of all, the patients and families who give their all to this cause.

“I am deeply grateful to them, and to everyone who is part of the effort to end Parkinson’s.”

Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991 at the age of 29 and founded MJFF in 2000 to accelerate the development of better treatments and ultimately a cure.

The foundation brought scientists and business strategists together with patients to identify unmet medical needs and decide which areas of research to support.

Under Fox, chief executive and co-founder Deborah W. Brooks and the foundation’s staff, MJFF has funded more than US$3bn in Parkinson’s research globally.

Some of that funding has been delivered in partnership with the Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s initiative, supported by the Sergey Brin Family Foundation.

MJFF says the research ecosystem it has supported has contributed to 23 new drug approvals over the past decade.

Fox testified before Congress in 1999 to call for greater federal investment in Parkinson’s research and later advocated on stem cell research.

The foundation subsequently mobilised policy advocates in support of the National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act, which became law in July 2024 and established the National Parkinson’s Project.

Fox has also sought to increase the involvement of people living with Parkinson’s in research, while MJFF has created opportunities for patients and families to help shape its scientific priorities.

The foundation says its community now includes an audience of nearly 4m people, including 1.2m donors since its creation.

The award adds to previous recognition received by Fox, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and the Order of Canada.

The Lasker Foundation has awarded more than 400 prizes since 1945 for contributions to the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, cure and prevention of disease.

Each award category carries an honorarium of US$250,000.

The 2026 awards are due to be presented at a ceremony in New York City on 17 September 2026.

Debi Brooks, chief executive and co-founder of MJFF, said: “Experts told Michael early on that Parkinson’s science was ‘ahead of the money.’

“He took that insight and went all in on a clear vision: put patients at the centre and accelerate relevant, rigorous and collaborative science.

“His celebrity generated visibility, but his humanitarian spirit, business instincts, and tenacious optimism provided the blueprint for results.”

“This honour affirms what the Parkinson’s community has long seen in Michael — a champion who pushes science beyond the status quo and closer to solutions that improve patients’ lives.”