Dr. Paulo Zamboni's treatment is based on the unproven theory that blocked neck veins are linked to multiple sclerosis. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press)

A controversial treatment for multiple sclerosis dominated two days of meetings by Canada's health ministers in St. John's.

On Tuesday, federal, provincial and territorial health ministers met behind closed doors with experts from the MS Society to learn more about the unproven theory.

The treatment, proposed by Italian doctor Paolo Zamboni, is based on the theory that blocked neck veins are linked to MS and that using angioplasty to open the veins can restore function to people with the disease.

The ministers agreed to speed up work on a clinical trial if the preliminary results from seven North American studies indicate that is warranted.

"We hope to receive the preliminary results of that within the next few months and accelerate the development of a pan-Canadian clinical trial," Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq told reporters Tuesday, while flanked by her provincial and territorial counterparts.

"We have never said no to a clinical trial," though Aglukkaq said that's how the federal government's position was portrayed in the media.

In a surprise move on Monday, Newfoundland and Labrador Health Minister Jerome Kennedy announced his province will fund an observational study into the experimental surgery to measure any improvements in Canadians who've travelled overseas for the procedure.

Questions in confirming findings

Alberta's Health and Wellness Minister Gene Zwozdesky said Tuesday that he wants to ensure that an "examination" study underway in his province that will involve patients who've undergone the Zamboni treatment will also be accelerated.

But there is too much media hype and not enough sound science on the treatment yet, Dr. Jock Murray, a neurologist and MS expert from Halifax, said during an interview with CBC News.

No provinces are designing clinical trials involving the treatment itself, and there are many steps to go through before any study involves patients, including ethical reviews, said Murray, who called Zamboni's original pilot results "interesting and exciting."

"There have been four studies that have already been done, none of them are reported very much in the media, that didn't confirm what Zamboni said," Murray said in an interview with CBC News.

"Two recent studies, one from Sweden and [one from] Germany, didn't notice any difference in comparing MS patients' venous problems and flow in the neck with normal people. There's got to be some question here about a lot of this."

The ministers also discussed cutting Canadians' sodium intake, fighting childhood obesity and other preventable chronic diseases, increasing health-care costs, medical isotopes, and pandemic preparations.