The professional body representing Quebec doctors is advising patients with multiple sclerosis not to seek the "liberation" treatment at clinics outside Canada because the procedure remains scientifically unproven.

At a news conference held Tuesday by the College des medecins du Quebec, medical experts weighed in on the controversial MS treatment, which is based on an Italian vascular specialist's hypothesis that the disease is linked to blocked and twisted neck veins.

Dr. Paolo Zamboni believes these vein anomalies, which he calls chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency, or CCSVI, allow blood-borne iron deposits to damage brain cells. He argues that opening blockages in the veins with a tiny balloon can alleviate MS symptoms.

Multiple sclerosis, a progressively debilitating neurological disorder, has long been considered an autoimmune disease. But since late last year, when Zamboni's procedure first made headlines, an untold number of Canadians with MS have travelled to U.S. and overseas clinics, paying thousands of dollars each for the treatment.

The procedure is not available in Canada, and Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq announced three months ago that the federal government is awaiting results of several studies now underway before deciding whether clinical trials should go ahead.

The Quebec college of medicine is taking the same wait-and-see approach, CMQ president and CEO Dr. Charles Bernard told the Montreal news conference.

"I have received numerous messages from patients afflicted with multiple sclerosis ... and I understand their need to know where science stands with respect to this subject," he said. "The college is saying to them today that we need to wait for the results of studies that are currently underway before generalizing Professor Zamboni's treatments.

"In particular, we are recommending to these individuals that they refrain from consulting any medical tourism clinics offering these treatments prematurely with little regard for their effectiveness and side-effects."