To many of us with MS, it seems glaringly obvious that diet is a probable
cause of MS. Yet it has been widely ignored. We all know about the
geographical distribution of MS: High where they eat a lot of dairy produce,
saturated fat, and grains; low where they eat a lot of fish. Just visit Direct-MS
and take a look at the evidence (www.direct-ms.org).

On top of this, there is overwhelming anecdotal evidence about diet and MS.
Many, like me, (www.livingwithms.co.uk/ms) who radically change their diet
see results. Your condition gradually improves. Many doctors have seen this for themselves.

So why don't the medical profession take it seriously?

"There is no doubt that clinical trials with diet are needed," states
Professor Christine Williams at the Nutrition Unit at the University of
Reading."There is sufficient indication that diet could be an effective
modulator for this disease."

So what's the problem? Money, it seems, lies at the root of the problem.
You can't make a bundle of cash or a nice tidy profit from proving that people
with MS can get better by changing their diet. Though heart disease seems to
manage allright.

"I'm afraid the power of the drug companies has distracted many MS
researchers away from diet and other non-drug issues," says Professor Charles
Warlow, a neuroscientist at the University of Edinburgh. " It is much easier
for a researcher to do a drug trial sponsored by a pharmaceutical company,
than raise funds to do a serious trial of dietary interventions."

"This is not to blame the industry," Professor Warlow continues. " They are
doing what they have to do in a competitive market. The problem lies with
government which is not prepared to redress the balance and fund research
into interventions of no commercial interest."

Ah. Commercial interest.

It seems ironic that our drive for diet to be taken seriously comes at a time
when one of the most extensively-researched and expensive drugs for MS, beta
interferon, is deemed "not sufficiently cost-effective" by the National
Institute for Clinical Excellence to be widely prescribed for MS patients on
the NHS. So wouldn't it be better to fund diet trials which could result in
cost-effective treatment for more people?"

This is where the petition comes in. We will be sending it to people in the
government and the MS Society who have power and influence. This is your chance
to speak out and help us to get a proven answer to the question "Does diet play a
role in MS"? Saying 'we don't know' is no longer good enough. We do know and this
vital research field cannot and should not be ignored any longer!


For more information on the 'Best Bet Diet' Publicity Campaign please phone 01506
491441 and leave a message or email Julie (copgreen@onetel.net.uk).


Please support medical research for MS today!

Sincerely,
The Undersigned