The WFN Research Committee on Parkinsonism and Related Disorders was established by the World Federation of Neurology to promote and monitor research developments, as well as foster communication among neuroscientists in this field. It consists of 37 elected members from various countries throughout the world and holds regularly stated meetings. The Research Group sponsors a symposium on Parkinson's disease every two to three years, which evaluates progress and identifies promising areas for research. The most recent symposium - 14th in the series - was held in Helsinki, Finland, 27 July-1 August 2001. Unfortunately, the 15th planned symposium which would have been held in Beijing, China at the beginning of June 2003, had to be postponed due to the SARS outbreak. At various intervals, workshops on current issues in Parkinson's disease designed to produce consensus reports are organized. The Committee is committed to developing educational programs for physicians, as well as the lay public.