REGINA — The Yukon is contributing funding toward Saskatchewan's clinical trials on the controversial liberation therapy for MS patients.
This week, the territory committed $250,000 to the trials to ensure that its residents who meet criteria will be able to participate.
"It's very significant even though its a smaller territory," said Saskatchewan Health Minister Don McMorris.
In December, Saskatchewan pledged $5 million to the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, which is managing the publicly funded process, and issued a call to other provinces and territories after the federal government chose not to move forward with it.
This month, Manitoba contributed $5 million for its own trials. The Yukon will contribute $143,000 to the actual trial and $107,000 to territorial residents who seek the therapy.
"More provinces are looking at what we're doing as a leader in this research as far as clinical trials and wanting to be part of it," said McMorris.
Liberation therapy, which is not currently available in Canada, is based on the theory of Italian neurologist Dr. Paolo Zamboni. It involves using angioplasty to open veins in the neck that may have been blocked.
While some experts have dismissed any notion that the therapy could benefit MS sufferers as a simple placebo effect, many Canadians have been travelling out of the country for the procedure.
Stuart Whitley, deputy minister of Health and Social Services for the Yukon, said he's heard personal stories from people who went out of the country for the procedure.
"They have come back and their progress has been nothing short of remarkable," said Whitley, who was in Regina for a two-day Health Care Quality Summit this week.
He said he believes the clinical trials are "extremely important" for all MS patients.
"It will put to rest, once and for all, one way or another, whether or not this is an efficacious procedure," said Whitley.
McMorris said the research group is not yet in place, but there is already a panel that selects the group. He expects the group to start moving forward in the next few months. However, results from the clinical trials might not be available until 2014.