MS Initiative

Information for MS patients & their families Frequently Asked Questions

Application and Review Process Call for Proposals Deadline— Friday, September 30, 2011 Download form

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011 UPDATE
DEADLINE - CALL FOR PROPOSALS

The deadline for the call for proposals was 4:30 p.m. Central Standard Time, September 30, 2011. 

The next step in the process will require an expert peer-review committee to assess all proposals submitted to MHRC in response to the call.  The committee will then provide its recommendations and MHRC will announce the outcome of the competition in winter 2011.

The actual start of clinical trials will depend upon the outcome of the competition.

JUNE 29, 2011 UPDATE
CALL FOR PROPOSALS RELEASED

On Tuesday April 5, 2011, ,the Government of Manitoba requested that the Manitoba Health Research Council (MHRC) fund clinical trials for treating Chronic cerebro-spinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) in patients with Multiple Sclerosis. The government provided MHRC with $5 million in support of trials. Consulting with an expert committee, MHRC developed a call for proposals that invites researchers to submit plans to undertake clinical trials on the treatment of CCSVI in MS.

Click here for a full copy of the Call for Proposals.

The Call for Proposals document is for researchers and it outlines all of the relevant guidelines for response.

The deadline for submitting the full proposal is 4:30 p.m. Central Standard Time, September 30, 2011.

Funding for MS Clinical Trials

On Tuesday April 5, 2011, the Government of Manitoba made $5 million available to the Manitoba Health Research Council (MHRC) to fund clinical trials for for treating Chronic cerebro-spinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) in patients with Multiple Sclerosis. The funding builds on Saskatchewan’s $5 million for clinical trials and builds a complementary approach between the provinces to support coordinated multi-site trials that will strengthen the conclusions about the effectiveness of the procedure.

To download a copy of the Tuesday April 5, 2011 press release, click here.

Saskatchewan was the first province to initiate clinical trials for the MS CCSVI procedure when it launched a call for proposals in December 2010. The Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) is managing the publically funded health research process and will release the outcome of the process soon.

MHRC will issue a call for proposals following consultations with SHRF to ensure proposal criteria and review processes are complementary.

MHRC will provide the money in stages to a top-quality research team to be chosen in a competitive grant review process based on accepted standards of science, ethics and clinical care. The MHRC will manage the grant funds according to our well-established grants management processes.

Information for Researchers: Application and Review Process

First step - Expressions of Interest — Deadline Friday April 29, 2011

The MHRC is calling for Expressions of Interest (EOI) from members of the research community to indicate their interest in applying to MHRC for funding of clinical trials to treat Chronic cerebro-spinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) in patients with multiple sclerosis. We are seeking EOIs from research teams and individual researchers who are interested in leading or contributing to clinical trials on the treatment for CCSVI in multiple sclerosis patients in Canada.

Please submit a completed EOI form to info@mhrc.mb.ca by Friday April 29, 2011.

Second Step - Expedited Call for Proposals

An expedited call for proposals will be based on sound evidence and best practices. A call for proposals typically outlines the scope of the research, funding available, timelines, application requirements, and criteria for success. MHRC’s goal is to issue a call for proposals in May.

Third Step – Establish an Expert Peer Review Committee

The committee will consist of about six researchers from across Canada. Possible areas of expertise to be included are neurology, vascular surgery, interventional radiology, rehabilitation therapies, and clinical trials design.

Fourth Step – Assess Proposals

The expert peer-review committee will assess all proposals submitted to MHRC in response to the call and provide its funding recommendation in late fall 2011. MHRC expects to announce the outcome of the competition in winter 2011. The successful research team will include clinicians and scientists comprising expertise in designing and managing clinical trials, providing medical care for patients with multiple sclerosis, and leading a multi-disciplinary, multi-site research team. A portion of the research team will be from Manitoba. Team members will have a demonstrated record of excellence in their fields.

The actual start of clinical trials will depend upon the successful research team’s plan and timeline.

MS patients and their families in Manitoba will play an important part in any clinical trials research project that is carried out by the successful research team.

The goal is to have a process in place for proceeding with clinical trials by early 2012.

Until a successful research team has been announced, there is no list or requirement for patients to register their interest in participating.

Information about how interested patients may take part in any potential trials will be available after a successful research team has been announced. Your physician or other care provider will not have any additional information regarding your ability to participate.

Patients are encouraged to watch for updates and announcements in winter 2011.

Watch this area for updates and answers to commonly received questions.

When do you expect trials to begin?

The announcement is step one – financial commitment. We are not announcing what the actual clinical trials will be or when they will be, that will come later once a successful research team has been selected. Over the next few months the application and review process and deadlines will be defined.

Is Manitoba big enough to host a clinical trial?

There are many major research initiatives going on in Manitoba right now, led by excellent researchers based at our top-notch institutions. While we expect the team to include clinicians and researchers from Manitoba, this is a major project that could benefit from having researchers from other areas of Canada involved. This is the way successful research is often carried out today.

How many people do you need for a successful clinical trial?

Successful trials are built around outcomes and the research question being asked. While there is no set size, obviously a large enough pool of potential participants is necessary. We expect this to be one of many important questions that the expert panel will address when it crafts the call for clinical trial research proposals.

I have MS and I want to participate in the clinical trials, what should I do?

Keep watching this web site for more information. Until a successful research team is selected, we won’t know what that team’s process will be. There is no list to get your name on or any expression of interest required. When the successful research team is selected, that will be one of the things they will look after. The actual start of clinical trials will depend upon the successful research team’s plan and timeline.

Why does a patient have to wait maybe another year until the trials go ahead?

Developing scientifically and ethically sound research doesn’t happen overnight. Having a strong research process with clearly defined criteria, an expert panel, and a range of responses takes time.

We know there is great interest in the CCSVI procedure, but we have a responsibility to make sure that if clinical trials proceed, they are done in an expert fashion with results that can be used to better inform patients and health care providers alike about the MS CCSVI procedure.