College issues consensual reprimand of Dr. Philip Davis

December 1, 2014

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia hereby gives notice that as a result of a complaint and pursuant to the Medical Act, Dr. Philip Davis has accepted a reprimand and conditions issued by the College.

A reprimand is a finding of professional misconduct that is entered on a doctor’s formal discipline record. The College’s Investigations Committee has directed the following:

The Committee reprimands Dr. Davis for the following:

  1. prescribing opioids to a patient where there is no clinical indication such medication was needed for pain;
  2. prescribing opioids to a patient who is known to abuse his narcotics prescriptions. This practice is contrary to the College’s Guidelines For The Use of Controlled Substances in the Treatment of Pain; and the Canadian Guideline for Safe and Effective Use of Opioids for Chronic Non-Cancer Pain; and
  3. failing to use any monitoring strategies with respect to a patient receiving large quantities of opioids.
The full decision is available. [PDF, 57 KB]

The College acknowledges that we are in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people. This territory is covered by the Treaties of Peace and Friendship. We also acknowledge that people of African descent have been in Nova Scotia for over 400 years, and we honour and offer gratitude to those ancestors.