Health Canada announces funding for clinical trials of liberation therapy for MS patients

On June 29, 2011, the federal government announced that it will fund clinical trials of the so-called liberation therapy for multiplesclerosis(MS)patients.Liberation is an unproven therapy based on the theory of Italian neurologist Dr. Paolo Zamboni that stenosis, a narrowing or blockage of veins in the neck which drain blood from the brain, results in a medical condition known as Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI), which may cause MS symptoms. Removing the blockage using a procedure similar to balloon angioplasty known as percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) was found to improve blood flow, which in turn improved balance and walking, while reducing dizziness, fatigue, muscle spasms and incontinence. Although the cause of MS is unknown, several new studies are pointing toward CCSVI as being a culprit in the pathogenesis of MS. The push for clinical trials in Canada has been increasing as dozens of patients who underwent the operation abroad at their own expense claim their lives have changed for the better.