[Medical evaluation of Parkinson's disease as an occupational disease]

Since 2023, a new occupational disease (OD), "Parkinson's syndrome caused by pesticides", can be recognized by the statutory accident insurance system in Germany. For a patient to be recognized as suffering from this disease, an expert medical assessment must confirm the presence of a "primary Parkinson's syndrome", and Parkinsonism must not be secondary to another underlying condition. In addition, there must be evidence of occupational exposure to pesticides, specifically fungicides, insecticides, or herbicides, on at least 100 working days within one functional group (insecticides, herbicides, or fungicides). This article provides guidance for accurate diagnosis and discusses differential diagnostic considerations that must be taken into account during the medical assessment.