Patient description: A 57-year old farmer was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease a year ago. He experiences slowness of movement and tremors. His past medical history is significant for hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. He lives with his wife. They have three children. He used to be active with planting and taking care of their farm animals before his diagnosis. The patient complains of shaking and slow movement. He had difficulty entering through a door, as he was frozen and needed guidance to step in. His handwriting is getting smaller. He is on Levodopa and Trihexyphenidyl. He stated his medications help with shaking and slow movement. But he still has difficulty initiating movements, stiffness and slowness in general. He is an alert and cooperative man who doesn't have any signs of dementia. He doesn't smoke or use any illicit drugs.

Clinical trial eligibility criteria: eligible ages (years): 30.0-999.0,  Parkinson Disease Men or non-pregnant/non-breast-feeding women of at least 30 years of age at screening.Women of child-bearing potential must be practicing a clinically accepted method of contraception (such as oral contraception, surgical sterilization, intrauterine device [IUD], or diaphragm IN to spermicidal foam and condom on male partner, or systemic contraception [i.e. Norplant System]), during the study and for at least one month prior to randomisation and one month following completion of the study Diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's Disease (according to modified Hoehn & Yahr Stages II-IV) and demonstrating lack of control with L-dopa therapy (e.g. end of dose akinesia, simple on/off fluctuations) Subjects receiving a stable dose of L-dopa for at least four weeks prior to screening Provide written informed consent for this study A minimum of 3 hours awake time"off " for each diary day recorded during the Placebo Run-In Period Be willing and able to comply with study procedures, including diary card completion and follow-up clinic visits  Late stage advanced subjects demonstrating incapacitating peak dose or biphasic dyskinesia on their stable dose of L-dopa Presence, or history within the previous 3 months, of significant and/or uncontrolled psychiatric, hematological, renal, hepatic, endocrinological, neurological (other than Parkinson.s Disease), or cardiovascular disease or active malignancy (other than basal cell cancer) Any abnormality, at Screening, that the investigator deems to be clinically relevant on history, physical examination and in diagnostic laboratory tests including ECG Unstable liver disease, cirrhosis, known biliary abnormalities(except Gilbert's syndrome or asymptomatic gallstones) or AST or ALT>2xULN or alk phos and bilirubin>1.5 xULN Recent history of severe dizziness or fainting due to postural hypotension on standing Clinical dementia that in the judgment of the investigator would preclude assessment of the subject Recent history or current evidence of drug abuse or alcoholism Consumption of any dopamine agonist within four weeks of the screening visit Definite or suspected personal or family history of clinically significant adverse reactions or hypersensitivity to ropinirole (or to drugs with a similar chemical structure) that would preclude long-term dosing with ropinirole PR Withdrawal, introduction, or change in dose of hormone replacement therapy and/or any drug known to substantially inhibit CYP1A2 (e.g. ciprofloxacine, fluvoxamine, cimetidine, ethinyloestradiol) or induce CYP1A2 (e.g. tobacco, omeprazole) within 7 days prior to enrolment. Subjects already on chronic therapy with any of these agents may be enrolled but must remain on stable doses of the agent from 7 days prior to enrolment through the end of the Treatment Period