Research groups that want to conduct clinical trials of the controversial "liberation" procedure for multiple sclerosis can now submit their plans to the Saskatchewan government for consideration, as the province takes another step toward testing the unproven treatment.

The Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation on Friday issued a formal call for proposals for clinical trials to determine whether the liberation procedure "is a safe and effective treatment for MS patients to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life."

The Saskatchewan government has pledged $5 million to finance trials of the procedure, which involves angioplasty to open veins in the neck.

The foundation, a provincial government agency that funds health research, has placed several restrictions on funding. Successful applications for trial funding must ensure that at least a portion of the research team be from Saskatchewan.

"For us, it's really an exciting stage," said foundation chief executive June Bold. "We've worked really with our advisory panel on this call for proposals and we hope that it inspires some really great researchers to put together proposals that will go forward and lead us to the clinical trials."

The funding provided by Saskatchewan needs to focus on Saskatchewan patients, but the foundation said research teams "are welcome to include partners with funding in order to potentially expand the study to include patients from other jurisdictions."

With pressure mounting from MS patients who want the procedure, the Alberta government earlier this week promised to spend $1 million for an observation study and to fund clinical trials if it decides the treatment is safe.

The procedure is based on the hypothesis of Italian researcher Dr. Paolo Zamboni that some MS cases are linked to blockages in veins carrying blood away from the brain.

While it's not performed in Canada, that hasn't stopped an untold number of MS patients from travelling out of the country to receive the liberation procedure.

The foundation said letters of intent outlining intended proposals must be submitted by Jan. 31. Full proposals are due March 28.

A scientific peer review is to be completed by mid-April, with funding decision announcements to follow in late April.