Herald and News
Psychiatrist’s license pulled after over-prescriptions
By Stephen Floyd
June 15, 2018

A local psychiatrist has had his medical license suspended indefinitely after multiple patients were over-prescribed anti-anxiety medication.

As of June 7, the license of Dr. William Edward Davis, 80, of Klamath Falls, was suspended by the Oregon Medical Board until such time as the board sees fit to reinstate his license.

The board investigated Davis after receiving reports of a 57-year-old woman who was forced to seek in-patient addiction treatment after being over-prescribed Xanax by Davis. Though Davis told the patient he was worried she was becoming addicted, he did not refer her to addiction treatment or consultation and did not stop giving her Xanax prescriptions.

A further review of patient records showed multiple incidents during 2017 when Davis prescribed high doses of anti-anxiety medication, potentially exposing patients to harm.

The medical board attempted to contact Davis while conducting their investigation, however multiple messages by phone and mail, including two registered letters, resulted in no response from Davis. A licensed physician is required to cooperate with the medical board during an investigation and, due to Davis’s lack of response, the board chose to immediately suspended his license on an indefinite basis.

Davis has 90 days to request a hearing to challenge his license suspension. He had been licensed by the board since 1969.