WINDSOR, Ont. -- Mark Clouthier woke up partially paralyzed one day.

He couldn't feel or move the right side of his body. He was terrified.

Not long after that morning, Clouthier was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a debilitating condition that affects the central nervous system. Thirty years later, he's still looking for relief from the symptoms and pain associated with MS.

Clouthier, along with other MS patients across Canada, welcomed the federal government's decision this week to fund clinical trials of the controversial MS treatment known as "liberation therapy."

"I don't expect wonders, but wouldn't it be great if it could benefit people like me?" he said.

The procedure, similar to angioplasty and developed by Italian doctor Paolo Zamboni, involves opening up blocked veins for better blood flow. In 2009, Zamboni suggested that MS is not an autoimmune, but a vascular disease caused by an underlying condition that he termed chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency, or CCSVI. He said that CCSVI can be treated by opening up blocked veins, thus improving the condition of MS sufferers.

Zamboni's findings made waves around the world, but the Canadian government and many experts here were skeptical. At first, Ottawa wouldn't entertain the idea of clinical trials to test Zamboni's theory.

But on Wednesday, Canada's Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said there is now enough preliminary scientific evidence to move ahead. A request for proposals is expected to be issued by the end of the year, with clinical trials set up by next year.

Clouthier, 59, said he would like to participate in hopes the treatment could alleviate his chronic pain. He uses a walker and a scooter to get around and is managing his condition with pain medication.

"Honestly, I'm not 100 per cent sure that (liberation therapy) works," he said. "But it would be great if it could give me some relief."

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada has been calling on Ottawa and provinces and territories to fund clinical trials, committing $1 million to the cause.

Jackie Putterman of the MS Society's Windsor-Essex County chapter, said there is "a lot of interest" locally in liberation therapy trials.

Over the past couple of years, scores of Canadians - including some from the Windsor-Essex area - have sought the treatment elsewhere around the world, including countries such as India, Bulgaria and Costa Rica, with varying results.

One Ontario man died after undergoing the procedure in Costa Rica, sparking debate and questions about the therapy and safety standards in different clinics across the globe.

Canada has among the highest MS rates in the world, and it has been estimated that there are about 1,000 cases in Windsor-Essex. There is no known cure, but symptoms can be managed with medication and therapy.