Editor:
There has been a lot of media coverage lately about this "new" treatment for MS (CCSVI -- Liberation
Treatment -- angioplasty procedure of the veins in your neck).
MS patients are going to other countries such as Poland, India, Bulgaria,
Mexico and Costa Rico to have this procedure done because they (the
government officials, scientists and the MS Society of Canada, and I am
sure that the drug companies have a say in this as well) will not allow
this procedure to be done here in Canada.
They will not allow the procedure to be done here because they say it's not
proven -- more testing must be done. How can you do the testing if you
do not allow the procedure? When are they going to start to do this
study? How long after the study is done will it take to decide if it is
safe enough to allow the procedure to be done on MS patients? How many
MS patients will be included in this study?I have not heard of one person who has gone to another country and had the procedure done that
has not had some positive results. As we all know there is always two
sides to every story, and I am sure that those not allowing this
procedure to be done on MS patients here in Canada feel that their side
of the story is right.
Not allowing this angioplasty procedure to be done on MS patients is a discrimination.
What is going to happen to those that cannot afford to go out of the country
and have this procedure done? If changes are not made -- and soon -- it
is going to be too late to help some people. I would like to say to
those in charge, "get off your butts and allow this procedure to be done
here in Canada and especially here in Ontario."
Some of our politicians, Mr. McGuinty comes to mind, have said "they know what MS
patients are going though because I have a relative with MS." Mr.
McGuinty, unless you walk a mile in my shoes you have no idea what I
suffer with MS.
I have heard that some people are going to think twice about giving any further donations to the MS Society -- please
continue to give your local MS society chapter and mark it "for patient
care in your local area." Our local chapters really do help those in the
area that suffer with MS.
I am sure that if some of those people, who have made the decision that the CCSVI procedure not be allowed in
Canada, suddenly discovered they had MS things would soon change and the
procedure would be allowed to be done in Canada.
If you agree with me and feel that this liberation treatment procedure should be made
available to MS patients here in Canada, especially in Ontario, please
take a few minutes to write your member of parliament, federal and
provincial, and make your feelings known on this subject. Karen
McCullough Paisley
http://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2847798