Archive: August, 2010

• Quebec willing to test MS treatment

  A call for a national trial of a controversial M-S treatment has gained support. Quebec Health Minister Yves Bolduc says the province would be willing to join [...]

  • Caroline says: I have been keeping silent on the CCSVI excitement lately. It is a fantastic idea: unblocking veins to cure MS? Really? No more injections and infusions? Just like that? There have been a LOT of "cures" for MS over the years (bee venom, anyone?). I think it's great that people are doing studies on CCSVI to determine whether it is actually a viable treatment for MS...until we hear otherwise, however, the CCSVI hype is just that. I don't think the promotion of seriously invasive procedures without any actual scientific evidence (one physician performing this procedure on a patient he is married to does not count as an un-biased, randomized, double-blind study, folks). Don't get me wrong: it would be awesome if this thing actually works (really, really awesome)...but until we see actual evidence, we shouldn't hold our breath. So, cheers to Quebec for its willingness to check this out.
     
  • Related Links:
  • http://montreal.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100818/mtl_ms_100818/20100818/…
  
  

  • ‘Placebo effect’ a concern with CCSVI

    Canadians experts say they fear stories of miraculous results from a controversial new MS treatment could be more about the “placebo effect” than an actual breakthrough — [...]

    • Related Links:
    • http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Placebo+effect+concern+with+controversial+tre…
    
    

    • New research fails to support CCSVI theory

      THURSDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) — An emerging hypothesis suggests that the demyelination of cerebral veins that characterizes multiple sclerosis (MS) may be caused by chronic cerebrospinal [...]

      • Related Links:
      • http://www.modernmedicine.com/modernmedicine/Modern+Medicine+Now/Causal-Hypothes…