FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MS Society of Canada welcomes federal commitment to fund CCSVI trials
June 29, 2011 - Toronto - Today, the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, announced that the federal government will fund Phase I/II level clinical trials on chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) and MS.
The MS Society of Canada has called upon the federal government and provinces and territories to fund therapeutic clinical trials and has committed $1 million towards the financial cost of a clinical trial. Many jurisdictions have responded and we encourage others to as well.
We are pleased to see that the federal government and CIHR have kept MS at the top of their healthcare agendas. The topic of CCSVI is an important one for the MS community and people living with MS have asked for definitive answers.
This recommendation was based upon a meeting of the CIHR’s scientific expert working group, which met yesterday, and unanimously recommended the design and launch of a Phase I/Phase II therapeutic clinical trial. The highlights from this meeting will be posted on the CIHR website.
The CIHR meeting highlights indicate that the seven funded studies are progressing well. As of July 1, 2011, the studies will be at their halfway point, concluding in July 2012. One year interim progress reports will be available in the coming weeks and will be posted on mssociety.ca and ccsvi.ca.
The MS Society of Canada will continue to monitor all developments related to CCSVI. People living with MS are at the center of our work and this will continue to be what drives us as we move through this exciting new phase of MS research.
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| For more information: |
Stewart Wong
Senior Manager, Communications and Media Relations
Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada
Telephone: 416-967-3025
Email: stewart.wong@mssociety.ca |
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