Audrey Barnett launched a petition earlier this year calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to carry out or
encourage urgent research into treatment she received privately in

Poland.

The Highland News Group told last month how her push for research into pioneering NHS treatment was gathering pace with support
from Highland MSP Rhoda Grant.

The parliament’s public petitions committee initially agreed to write to organisations including the MS
Society Scotland, the Medical Research Council, the Scottish Government,

and the Scottish Medical Consortium to seek their views.

According to Audrey, of Underwood Place, Balloch, their responses largely echoed
the MS Society’s stance that there is no evidence the treatment works

and more research is required.

But at a recent hearing in the parliament, the committee agreed to close the petition. This move was
made on the grounds the Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office had

already stated it would be pleased to consider research proposals to

investigate the potential role of the treatment in MS.

It added it would be “premature” for the Scottish Government to recommend to MS
patients to undergo the surgical procedure due to what it described as

the “current level of debate around its potential role in MS”.

The treatment, involving angioplasty to open blocked veins, was discovered
by Italian doctor Paolo Zamboni, who believes many MS patients have a

vein condition called chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency

(CCSVI).

After launching a fundraising drive to gather the cash needed for the surgery costing up to £7,500, she underwent the procedure privately in
Warsaw, Poland.

Since being diagnosed 15 years ago, she has been left virtually housebound and suffering from limited walking ability,
severe fatigue and dizziness. But within hours of the £7,500 procedure, a

serious eye problem was corrected, with her balance also improved.

Audrey told the HNG: “The petitions committee have closed my petition, they
are taking no further action. I feel frustrated and let down.

“I put so much work into it and gave them lots of information but they seem
to have either not read it or have chosen to ignore it.”

However, Audrey will get the chance to promote the CCSVI treatment in a TV show set for broadcast in the New Year.

She was asked to feature in a BBC Alba documentary about MS after the Highland News Group told of her campaign.

She was filmed at locations including the MS Therapy Centre in Inverness,
where she is undergoing an intensive course of hyperbaric oxygen

therapy. Other centre members are also receiving CCSVI treatment in

Edinburgh, where it is now offered privately.

http://www.highland-news.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/8514/MS_woman_hit_by_treatment_bid_setback.html