CORNWALL – Karen Torrie-Racine was "thrilled" to hear the federal government has agreed to fund clinical trials of a controversial multiple sclerosis treatment called chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency.

"Like everyone, I'm just really anxious for the answers," says the head of the local branch of the MS Society who, herself, was diagnosed with MS in 1985.

MS is an autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. It can impair vision and speech, cause a loss of bladder control and cause poor muscle co-ordination.

The CCSVI, which is also referred to as "liberation treatment," is performed by doctors in the United States, Europe and the Middle East, and balloons the vein to allow a better flow or, in some cases, inserts a tube to ensure the area stays clear.

Back in March, the province announced a panel of MS experts tasked with providing advice on CCSVI follow-up care.

On Wednesday, the Conservative government gave the green light to fund the clinical trials of the procedure after it had heard fresh scientific information in June.

Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq says the next step is to get the proposals out in order to roll out the trials. She acknowledged it's difficult to predict timelines, saying timing depends on the individuals and the number of groups who are going to be rolling out the clinical trials.

Many Canadians with MS have crossed international borders in order to receive the procedure. Locally, Torrie-Racine says approximately seven local people have already gone for the treatment, to either Poland or the United States. From a chapter perspective, she says three people are currently waiting for the treatment.

With regards to the funding, Torrie-Racine says the MS Society has been focussing its efforts on government support. The society initially set aside $1 million in funding towards the cost of the trials.

As Torrie-Racine explains, the trials involve "getting into the scientific aspects."

"It's a scientific process where they go through a phase one (of) getting an answer to a question," she says.

A potential first question, Torrie-Racine says, could be: is there a link between CCSVI and MS?

Phase two would then follow up if a link is found, Torrie-Racine says.

"Clinical trials (means) moving forward in a very scientific vein to see, first of all, if there's a connection, and what the connection is," she says. "A clinical trial doesn't mean everyone can just go now and do this. It's just step one. That's the unfortunate part about science: it takes time."