I recently was invited to try a product called Super Patch from a vendor with a table at a PD educational conference. The product was a thin plastic square with adhesive to stick to your skin. There were different ones to try, each with a color and symptoms it would heal.
What is Super Patch?
Super Patch is a product marketed primarily through a multilevel marketing (MLM) model. It consists of small, wearable patches that the company claims use "vibrotactile technology" or "braille for your brain" to send signals to the nervous system, purportedly improving balance, pain, sleep, and other conditions, including Parkinson’s Disease.
The technology claim
The company states the patches work by stimulating the brain via vibrotactile triggers, influencing what they call the "neuromatrix of pain" and other pathways. However, this explanation remains vague and largely unsupported by robust scientific data.
Scientific Evidence and Research Quality
Lack of rigorous studies: Only a few patches (such as those for pain relief, sleep, and "peace") have been studied, and those studies had multiple limitations:
They were not randomized controlled trials (RCTs), the gold standard in medical research.
The studies were funded and conducted by the company or related entities, risking significant bias.
Outcomes were based on self-reporting rather than objective clinical measurements.
No FDA approval: Super Patch products are FDA registered but not FDA approved. FDA registration means the company is listed as a medical device manufacturer/seller but does not indicate any regulatory review or endorsement of efficacy or safety.
Questionable health claims: The company and its marketers have made legally questionable claims that the patches can help severe conditions including Parkinson’s Disease, wheelchair use, addiction, and others—claims that lack scientific support and risk misleading vulnerable patients.
MLM business model: The company sells patches primarily through MLM distributors, where the business opportunity is emphasized often more than the product's health benefits. Investing in starter kits or subscriptions might lead to financial losses for many.
Specific to Parkinson’s Disease
There is no credible clinical evidence that Super Patch has any disease-modifying or symptom-relieving effects in Parkinson’s Disease. Patients with PD should be cautious, as time and resources spent on unproven devices might detract from evidence-based therapies.
The Parkinson’s community, clinicians, and regulatory agencies emphasize treatments with well-supported clinical data. While innovative ideas are always welcome, Super Patch currently does not meet those standards.
