The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, today announced that a team of researchers was selected through a rigorous peer review process to undertake an interventional Phase I/II clinical trial for Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI) in persons with multiple sclerosis. This announcement was made following a call for research applications launched by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) in November 2011.

"Our Government is committed to advancing research in MS with the goal of improving the health of those who live with this condition," said Minister Aglukkaq. "This clinical trial should provide more insight into the safety and effectiveness of the procedure proposed by Dr. Zamboni."

The main objective of the CCSVI trial, which is to be co-funded by the MS Society of Canada, is to determine the safety of venous angioplasty and obtain better evidence on patient outcomes.

The researchers will need to receive ethics approval from relevant institutional research ethics board(s) (REB) before conducting the trial. The funds will be released and the study will begin if and when ethics approval is granted.

To protect the independence of the REBs, the names of the research team's members and institutions involved will be withheld until REB approval.

"CIHR and the MS Society will continue to collaborate with provincial and territorial partners to ensure implementation of the clinical trial if the team of researchers meets the research ethics boards criteria," said CIHR President, Dr. Alain Beaudet. "In the meantime, the CIHR Scientific Expert Working Group continues to review and analyze any new research evidence on CCSVI."

Source: CNW Canada Newswire © 2012 CNW Group Ltd (19/04/12)