HALIFAX – A Bill introduced by Cape Breton West MLA Alfie MacLeod provides $5 million for clinical trials into the
Liberation Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
With members of the MS community watching from the gallery of Province House, MacLeod tabled a
petition containing more than 7,500 names and introduced a Bill to
Require Clinical Trials Respecting Liberation Therapy.
“The prevalence of MS in Atlantic Canada is unfortunately the highest in Canada,” said
MacLeod. “This is the area of the country that should be taking the lead
in finding out, one way or the other, whether Liberation Therapy is
effective.”
Liberation Therapy or Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI) Therapy was developed
by Italian vascular surgeon Paolo Zamboni after his wife was diagnosed
with MS. It is essentially an angioplasty inside the neck veins that
improves blood flow.
Liberation Therapy is currently not being performed in Canada and is not being covered by MSI.
Dozens of Nova Scotians have travelled to Poland, Bulgaria, Mexico,
Costa Rica and the United States to undergo the procedure, often at
great personal expense. MacLeod’s wife Shirley underwent Liberation
Therapy in Mexico.
“It is time to move forward with clinical trials,” said MacLeod. “Time is the worst enemy
for people who suffer from MS. By sitting on their hands, government is
snuffing out the greatest hope for relief MS sufferers have had in
years.”
Recently, the government of Saskatchewan committed $5 million dollars to fund clinical
trials on Liberation Therapy. MacLeod wants Nova Scotia to follow
Saskatchewan’s lead.
For more information, please contact:
Sarah Reeves, Communications Officer
Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Caucus
902.424.7723 (office)