CCSVI Calgary

National CCSVI Society and CCSVI Coalition have been added to CCSVI Calgary Links (on the top righthand side of this page)

Follow them on Facebook too!

How do I Facebook – see this old post

Warren Stefanuk:
I think that the most significant thing that the Health Minister said was “Once credible evidence comes forward, TAMSI won’t slow things down”. We don’t have to wait for TAMSI to be complete before moving forward. This allows us to relax somewhat.

Dr. Code gave him an explanation of the politics within the entrenched medical interests and why CIHR behaves the way it does. We told him that Dr. Metz has a credibility issue with MS patients. We told him about the recorded Feb 2010 presentation by Dr. Metz. We pointed out the untrue statement in the TAMSI study (Neither venous stents, nor venous angioplasty, are approved in Canada).

Dr. Code proposed a solution to the follow up care issue. He also said that interventional radiologists need to be at the table on an equal footing with the neurologists. We gave the Minister contact names and numbers for interventional radiologists.

We told him about international studies proving safety and that a Phase II clinical trial would waste time in an attempt to reinvent the wheel. We gave some examples of individuals who have been treated and how they are now saving the government money, off drugs and looking for work.

The Minister asked Dr. Code to submit his recommendations formally in a letter.

Also:

CCSVI, It’s bigger than MS

CCSVI Alberta (Edmonton) is hosting a CCSVI presentation

Saturday, August 20, 2011

(Location and time TBA)

Guest Speakers: Tim Donovan, New Hope for MS (New Brunswick);
Dr. Bill Code, MD, FRCPC, (National CCSVI Society); and
Dr. Kirsty Duncan, MP (Etobicoke, Ontario)

This is a ticket event and pre-registration is encouraged

Non-members $20/Members $10

Contact us (email) ccsviedmonton@gmail.com

Watch for more information at CCSVI Alberta

Quoted from Warren Stefanuk on Facebook

Dr. Code, MD, Charan Khehra, Siobhan MacQueen and I met with the Honourable Gene Zwozdesky, AB Health Minister today.

It was a very productive meeting. He is not yet convinced enough for CCSVI treatment to proceed, but we sense that he knows that he will become convinced and he is working hard to get there quickly.

He had a staffer from the research section present, a surgical nurse. He asked excellent questions and we expressed our point of view diplomatically. Dr. Code did most of the talking.

The Health Minister appears to value Dr. Code’s advice. A more detailed report will follow.

Mr. Zwozdesky is meeting with us, seriously listening and working hard to accommodate us. Let’s be grateful for that.

Health minister Gene Zwozdesky announced Wednesday the Alberta government will study the effects of a controversial treatment for multiple sclerosis patients.

The study will focus on treatment for chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (ccsvi) which some researchers believe is linked to MS.

The study will look at and evaluate different procedures for ccsvi treatment as well as outcomes and aftercare needs of patients who undergo the treatment.

While the study won’t provide ccsvi treatments it will examine the health of patients who have left the country to undergo procedures.

“Discussion of ccsvi has elevated discussion of MS worldwide” Zwozdesky said.

“in Alberta we’re doing everything we can … to help fulfill the void of information. ”

Zwozdesky assured patients who have undergone ccsvi treatment outside Canada they will get full followup treatment in Alberta.

He pledged $6-7 million in provincial funds to pay for the study.

The study falls under the newly announced Alberta multiple sclerosis initiative.

Video of the Press Conference