It will now be late December before New Brunswick releases its report on the mystery brain disease investigation.
The news comes as the province announces it has asked the Public Health Agency of Canada for additional support.
Federal officials have been asked to review all of the data collected during the investigation after a request from patient representatives.
“The chief medical officer of health and his staff have done significant and important work to date on the analysis and incorporation of the Public Health Agency of Canada’s feedback, and we look forward to having that information shared with the public,” Health Minister John Dornan said in a news release on Friday.
“At the same time, we have asked the Public Health Agency of Canada to review all the data so we can draw on every available expertise to better understand these complex cases.”
The province began investigating cases of undiagnosed neurological illness in 2021, with the initial investigation of 48 patients finding no evidence of a common illness.
However, officials decided to investigate the matter further after new concerns, including reports from more patients of unusual symptoms, were reported to Public Health in early 2023.
The Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health said it received 222 complete and validated patient reports as of February, but the referring neurologist said there could be as many as 390 patients.
Provincial health officials began their analysis of patient data this past March and had planned to release the findings and any recommendations by the end of summer.
“From the start of our investigation, we have been clear about our objective to develop a robust understanding of what the data is telling us, which will help us determine what next steps are needed to support affected patients and their families,” Dr. Yves Léger, the chief medical health officer, said in a release.
“The work has been underway for several months, and we’ve received valuable feedback from our partners throughout the process. Taking the time to reflect that input in the final report is essential to ensuring the findings are as thorough as possible.”
