Don McMorris anticipates MS clinical trial 'backlash'

REGINA — Health Minister Don McMorris says he expects some "backlash" from Saskatchewan multiple sclerosis suffers who aren't accepted into a proposed clinical trial of the liberation therapy.

But the anticipated disappointment is no reason for the province not to forge ahead with research, McMorris said.

"What I realize is that most that have MS want to see symptom relief and so I've had lots of people say, 'When can we get in on the clinical trials?' There's going to be lots of backlash because there will be lots of people that want to be part of the clinical trial that simply won't be," the minister said Monday.

The Saskatchewan Party government took the unusual step last year of committing $5 million to fund a clinical trial of the liberation procedure, which involves angioplasty to open veins in the neck. It's based on the theory that MS symptoms may be linked to decreased blood flow that leads to iron accumulation in the brain. The Manitoba government made a matching funding commitment last week, which will allow for a multi-site clinical trial.

The details of how the research will unfold — including how many patients will take part and what the criteria for involvement will be — is best determined by scientists, McMorris said.

But he acknowledged that only a portion of the province's estimated 3,500 MS sufferers will be in the trial expected to start later this year.

"It's the case with every clinical trial — it's a small group to study it and see how effective it is, and then hopefully if it is effective then it could be branched out and serve the greater population," McMorris said.

"We're willing to accept some of the negative feedback that people are going to be frustrated they don't get into the clinical trial. The alternative is not to do it at all. That's not an option for us."

Some Saskatchewan residents have already been travelling outside of Canada to get the liberation procedure and want the government to do more. Regina resident Terri Sleeva paid $12,000 to have the procedure done in Mexico in January.

"We do need some trials but we don't need what they're proposing ... where is the action?" said Sleeva, who came to the legislature for question period.

NDP Health critic Judy Junor questioned why the province hasn't compiled a database to track Saskatchewan patients who receive the liberation therapy in other countries.

McMorris said the government contemplated the idea of a registry, but there's no guarantee people will provide input. People with good results are more likely to register than people who didn't see positive results, he said.

The Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) issued a call for research proposals that has now closed, and a successful research team should be named this spring.

The SHRF in December stated that MS patients in Saskatchewan will play an important role in the research but also noted there is no list where patients can register their interest until a research team has been announced.

ahall@leaderpost.com