Madam Chair, I sit on the subcommittee, and over and over again witnesses have indicated there is a need to ensure that treatment continues during the research. They are asking that they be done in conjunction with each other.
I wonder what the minister's response is with respect to why would we not put a process in place to ensure that everyone who may have CCSVI, first has the opportunity to be diagnosed. If they are diagnosed with CCSVI, why not treat it? They should not be discriminated against having this treatment because they have MS.
Why not allow everyone, first to be diagnosed and ensure that the doctors who are treating these patients filter the information into the research part of it. I think that is crucial at this point. There are so many people out there who want the opportunity to do this. The cost is about $1,500 for this treatment in Canada. If they go elsewhere, we are talking about $15,000.
Would the minister include in her remarks the need to ensure this is a double study, which is what Dr. Sandy McDonald is asking for, and the need to ensure that it is study and treatment?