ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — Canada’s provincial health ministers say their officials will work together to explore ways to speed up the study of a controversial treatment for multiple sclerosis.
Maureen MacDonald of Nova Scotia says the goal of the ministers is to move toward clinical trials of liberation therapy “when and if the evidence is available.” MacDonald says the agreement doesn’t preclude provinces from initiating their own research projects.
The government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced plans to fund an observational study of people with multiple sclerosis who’ve chosen to undergo the procedure. The government says the purpose of the provincially based study will be to evaluate the impact of so-called liberation therapy on the symptoms and progression of MS in a patient.
The Saskatchewan government has opted to fund clinical trials of the treatment.