Accumulating evidence indicate that cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) is of pathophysiological importance for the neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD). For example, in a large epidemiological study, use of NSAIDs was associated with a lower risk of PD. Genetic variants of the COX‐2 gene might therefore influence the risk of developing the disease. The genotype distribution of four common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the COX‐2 gene (rs689466:A496G, rs20417:G926C, rs5277:G3050C, rs5275:C8473T) was analyzed in PD patients and control subjects in a Swedish population. No differences could be seen between the PD‐patient and controls regarding the A496G, G926C, and G3050C SNPs, but the allele frequency of the C8473T SNP was found to differ when male patients were compared to controls (P = 0.007). In females no difference could be seen between PD‐patients and controls. In conclusion, the results suggest a possible influence of the COX‐2 C8473T SNP in PD, although it only seems to be of importance in men. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.