- OPEN LETTER -
VIA FACSIMILE
Hon. Deb Matthews, MPP
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
11th Floor, Hepburn Block
80 Grosvenor Street
Toronto, ON M7A 2C4
Dear Minister Matthews:
I am writing with regards to the emerging research on Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI) and its relationship to Multiple Sclerosis (MS). For individuals who have been diagnosed with MS, the new “liberation treatment”, is a development that offers unparalleled hope in their fight against this debilitating illness.
Many Ontarians have expressed their frustration with the unclear process for investigating the relationship between CCSVI, MS and the liberation treatment. Could you please clarify the critical path, and timelines, that will lead to a decision by your ministry about coverage of this treatment? Currently there are a number of clinical trials taking place in Ontario; however, many questions remain.
Minister, can you please provide me with information on these clinical trials, the process by which individuals with MS can participate in the trials, and the expected timelines for the studies? Is the Ontario government funding any of those clinical trials? I would appreciate being kept up-to-date on the progress of these trials.
Although it is obvious that additional research is needed in order to understand the relationship between CCSVI and MS, it is unclear why patients who would otherwise quality for angioplasty are being denied this relatively safe medical procedure based on their MS diagnosis. Given the preliminary evidence that the liberation treatment may provide relief against some of the worst symptoms of MS, is your government considering offering access to this procedure on compassionate grounds?
Minister, we all know that time is of the essence for individuals diagnosed with MS. Asking Ontarians to wait indefinitely for increased access to a new treatment that offers so much hope, is cruel and unfair.
I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
France Gélinas, MPP
Ontario NDP Health & Long-Term Care Critic
