Suspend MS liberation therapy fund, doctors urge

New Brunswicks doctors are urging the provincial government to immediately suspendfunding forliberation therapy and divert it to other "clinically effective" methods of treating multiple sclerosis.

Recent studies have shownliberation therapy, which involves opening up narrow neck veins, islargely ineffective for most patients, and in some cases results in complications, New Brunswick Medical Society president, Dr. Robert Desjardins,said in a statementon Friday.

"Its time for New Brunswick to suspend funding for individuals seeking this treatment," he said.

New Brunswick is the only province that provides tax dollars to patients to help them get the procedure, which has not been approved as a viable treatment in Canada and must be performed outside the country.

Requests for the fund have dropped off, said Desjardins, but dozens of people who wanted liberation therapy have been approved for payments of $2,500 each.

"The funding was announced before trials on the treatment were fully completed," he said. "Its time to move on and use those health dollars to help MS patients through proven means."

The medical society has offered to meet with provincial officials to provide clinical advice about othertreatments shown to improve outcomes for patients with MS, said Desjardins.

Budget of $75,000

The call from doctors tostop fundingthe controversial treatment comes on the heels of a similar plea by independent MLA and retired surgeonJim Parrott.

The Alward government set up a fund in 2010 to match up to $2,500 in community donations for patients who want to travel outside of New Brunswick to get liberation therapy.

But in May, Parrotargued the fund, which has a budget of $75,000 this year, should be rescinded.

Finance Minister Blaine Higgs has said the fund, which falls under his department, was a campaign promise, but he planned to seek advice from doctors on the issue.

Health Minister Ted Flemming has also saidit may be time to reconsider the fund.

Liberation therapy can cost more than $10,000.

The treatment is based on a hypothesis by Italian doctor Paolo Zamboni who claimed that MS might be linked to narrowed veins and that removing the blockages could relieve symptoms.

But arecent University of Buffalo studyfound liberation therapy did not improve symptoms and actually made a few patients worse.