Suspend MS liberation therapy fund, doctors urge

Dr. Robert Desjardins, president of the New Brunswick Medical Society, says it's time to allocate funding to proven treatments. (CBC)

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

Recent studies have shown liberation therapy, which involves opening up narrow neck veins, is largely ineffective for most patients, and in some cases results in complications, New Brunswick Medical Society president, Dr. Robert Desjardins, said in a statement on 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 other treatments shown to improve outcomes for patients with MS, said Desjardins.

The call from doctors to stop funding the controversial treatment comes on the heels of a similar plea by independent MLA and retired surgeon Jim 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.

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Suspend MS liberation therapy fund, doctors urge