Manitoba should be partnering with Saskatchewan on funding clinical trials and conducting a large scale MS study: Gerrard

 Winnipeg – Dr. Jon Gerrard, Manitoba Liberal Leader and MLA for River Heights criticized the NDP today for not following Saskatchewan’s lead in funding clinical trials of “liberation treatment” for multiple sclerosis patients.  Gerrard suggested that Health Minister Theresa Oswald was missing a valuable opportunity to help advance research on the treatment and prevention of multiple sclerosis.

 “Manitoba Liberals are extremely disappointed that Minister Oswald has not been more informed on the liberation treatment file,” said Gerrard.  “Minister Oswald should have actively consulted fellow provincial health ministers.   Her lack of interest on the issue has now lost Manitoba a valuable opportunity to partner with Saskatchewan on conducting clinical trials on this innovative treatment.”

 Gerrard added: “Manitoba and Saskatchewan have very high rates of multiple sclerosis within their populations so it makes logical sense for the provinces to join forces in funding and running research trials.” 

 The Liberal Leader agreed that the treatment is highly controversial but also stated that questions surrounding the treatment should not be the reason that Manitoba drags its heels in funding clinical trials.

 “I was a medical researcher for 20 years and I believe there is no better opportunity for a government to advance medicine than when a new treatment is beginning to show promise. We should partner with Saskatchewan as a cost effective way to help fund these trials.”

 “Given that Manitoba is internationally known as a hot spot for multiple sclerosis and we have the resources to complete these trials, I am extremely disappointed that our Health Minster and the NDP haven’t positioned us to be a global leader in the fight against multiple sclerosis.”

 The Manitoba Liberal Party believes that funding innovative medical research is fiscally responsible as new treatments can reduce long-term health care costs associated with debilitating diseases like multiple sclerosis.

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For more information please contact Michelle Nyhof, Communications Officer for Manitoba Liberal Caucus – Tel: (204) 771-2513 or michelle.nyhof@leg.gov.mb.ca