By funding an observational trial into a controversial treatment for MS suffers, the Alberta government has taken an important but cautious first step.

Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky announced a $1-million study that will test the safety of the liberation treatment, pioneered in Italy. The study will follow the progress over three years of Albertans who have MS and have gone out of country for the procedure.

The downside of Thursday's announcement is the sample pool will be extremely small, with the province estimating just 30 Albertans have had the treatment. Researchers and neurologists at the University of Calgary involved in the study, will also use an online survey to gather more information from at least 500 people who have multiple sclerosis.

The treatment has raised new hopes for MS sufferers. It involves opening blocked veins in the neck, in a procedure similar to coronary angioplasty. But it's extremely risky and unproven. Ontario resident Mahir Mostic recently died from complications after receiving the treatment at a Costa Rican clinic.

Still, desperate and vulnerable MS patients continue to ignore the dangers and seek treatment anyway, travelling to far-flung clinics in India, Poland and Bulgaria, and paying up to $30,000.

It would be wrong for Alberta to fuel what could be false hope, or fund the surgery before it has been assured of its safety. Spending limited research dollars on clinical trials is also unwise, until more information has been collected to validate the promises. MS sufferers are telling the province this is too little. Many want clinical trials. That, however, could very well put their lives at risk. In future, they may thank the province for proceeding with caution.