Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee (MSAC)
Dr. Robert Francis, MD, C.M.
Chair
Dr. Robert W. Francis, MD, CM, is founder and former Chairman Emeritus of Medcan Health Management Inc. and most recently the founder and CEO of ReGen Scientific Inc., both successful medical services clinics focused on preventative medicine, a healthcare discipline he pioneered.
Dr. Francis was born in 1945 in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia and is the eldest of seven children. He came from modest beginnings and his heart is deeply rooted in Stellarton, the town where he grew up and remained until he went to university in Antigonish.
Graduating from St. Francis Xavier University with a Bachelor of Science degree at nineteen, he then completed McGill University’s medical school, receiving his MD, CM in 1968. His career began with a posting as Surgeon Lieutenant with the Canadian Armed Forces in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia. After working as military doctor for three years, he then transferred to a hospital affiliated with Dalhousie Medical School. He did post-graduate training in Internal Medicine at University of Toronto and is currently on staff at St Michael’s and Mount Sinai Hospitals.
At 76, Dr. Francis continues to take care of his patients as he has done throughout the years. He loves medicine and takes the time to acquaint himself with his patients and those close to them. He places great importance on the collection of family history, and he is still treating patients who came to him in the mid-seventies.
His biggest passions have been his beloved wife Sharon, their children, his family, and the field of medicine.
Dr. Douglas Fowlie, MB.ChB. FRCPsych
Douglas Gibb Fowlie was born in Aberdeen, Scotland on 16 January 1946 and educated at Aberdeen Grammar School between 1950 and 1964. He was Senior Prefect and All-Round Trophy winner in 1964 Whilst. At School he completed a Royal Air Force Flying Scholarship, gathered various sporting accolades, and contributed to the school’s cultural life. During his time as an Undergraduate he played representative Rugby for Scottish Districts and Combined Services and competed for Scottish Districts, British Universities and Combined Services Athletics Teams. He was Scotland’s best Javelin thrower in 1969.He played rugby against South Africa, Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia and continued competing in both rugby and athletics till 1975.
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Dr. Fowlie was a Category 1 golfer for 35 years. He has been Captain of a Royal Golf Club and was President of the Northeast District of the Scottish Golf Union. He was a qualified Golf Referee and retains an enduring interest in the history of ‘The Game’.
In 1970 Dr. Fowlie graduated MB ChB from the University of Aberdeen Medical School. In 1976 he gained specialty qualification after completing a 2-stage examination admitting him to Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Higher training then led to his gaining Consultant eligibility in 1979.
In 1989 he was elected to the Fellowship of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Dr. Fowlie is Licensed to Practise by the United Kingdom’s General Medical Council- 1319934. He is a Consultant Psychiatrist and Medical Member of The Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland.
Dr. Fowlie was last revalidated in September 2021. He is on the General Medical Council’s Specialty Register with certified expertise in both General and Old Age Psychiatry and holds special interest recognition in community psychiatry, addictive disorder, and dementia. Dr. Fowlie was a Category 1 golfer for 35 years. He has been Captain of a Royal Golf Club and was President of the Northeast District of the Scottish Golf Union. He was a qualified Golf Referee and retains an enduring interest in the history of ‘The Game’.
In 1970 Dr. Fowlie graduated MB ChB from the University of Aberdeen Medical School. In 1976 he gained specialty qualification after completing a 2-stage examination admitting him to Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Higher training then led to his gaining Consultant eligibility in 1979.
In 1989 he was elected to the Fellowship of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Dr. Fowlie is Licensed to Practise by the United Kingdom’s General Medical Council- 1319934. He is a Consultant Psychiatrist and Medical Member of The Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland.Dr. Fowlie is in good standing with the Royal College of Psychiatrists for Continuing Professional Development. He is subject to regular Appraisal and was last mandated as fit to practise by his Responsible Officer in June 2022.
Dr. Fowlie served with the Royal Air Force Medical Branch between 1967 and 1983.The student cadetship scheme was followed by postings as a General Duties Medical Officer, amalgamating General Practice with Occupational Health. He proceeded to train in Psychiatry and Neurology through the Royal Air Force Neuropsychiatric Centre gathering extra experience at The National Hospital Queen Square, Wessex Child and Learning Disability services, Oxford University’s Adolescent Psychiatry Unit and Nottingham Medical School’s department of Psychotherapy. This general and higher professional training led to Dr Fowlie’s first Consultant appointment in Neuropsychiatry to The Royal Air Force in 1979.
Dr. Fowlie left the Royal Air Force Medical Branch in 1983 to take up an appointment in Northeast Scotland with Grampian Health Board and the University of Aberdeen as a Consultant Psychiatrist and (Honorary)Senior Lecturer. Dr. Fowlie held that post until 2007. He expanded and discharged a broad range of responsibilities. Special interests were developed in addition to meeting the core requirements for catchment area clinical work. Clinical service development, management and clinical advisory roles were complemented by research, audit and teaching.
Dr. Fowlie’s specialty contributions to the National Health Service and University of Aberdeen were recognised through the Distinction Award protocol.
Dr. Fowlie stepped down from full time clinical and academic appointments in 2009 but maintained an Honorary Research Fellowship associated with the University of Aberdeen until 2018. Dr. Fowlie was Chairman of Grampian’s Area Medical Committee (representing all medical specialties) from 1998-2002 working in tandem with the Board of NHS Grampian.
During his military service Dr Fowlie’s research into post-traumatic stress disorder yielded a clinical protocol for aircrew who had survived by using ejection seats. Dr Fowlie’s alcohol prevalence studies contributed to establishing an Alcohol Policy for the Royal Air Force. Dr Fowlie’s special interest in psychiatric rehabilitation contributed to the framing of the Royal College of Psychiatrists guidelines for treatment, enabling and caring when tackling the impact of serious mental disorder. Dr. Fowlie was the joint coordinator with Professor DA Alexander of the immediate contact and subsequent follow up of survivors of the 1988 Piper Alpha disaster. Associated publications have informed clinical assessment and support responses to major disasters.
Dr. Fowlie established specialised services for clinicians in difficulty [Doctors Plus] in Northeast Scotland. He remains an active proponent of the need for dedicated services for clinical staff being delivered by a network of Psychiatrists, General Practitioners and Occupational Health Physicians. He was a member of the United Kingdom Group derived from 3 Royal Colleges which define the approved training competencies for assessing and managing clinician patients.
Dr. Fowlie was mandated by the Royal College of Psychiatrists to link with Regulatory Bodies regarding mental disorder and fitness to practise. He gave a formal deposition and oral evidence to the Shipman Inquiry on behalf of the College in 2004. Dr Fowlie’s responsibility for the expansion of Old Age Psychiatry Services (from 2 to 6 Consultant led teams) in Northeast Scotland promoted multi professional working in association with General Practitioners’ catchment areas. He combined dementia treatment research with service delivery. He was principal researcher for the first open label trial of tau disaggregation medication developed by TauRx Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
Dr. Fowlie has been an independent Consultant since 2010 for the assessment and clinical management of patients deemed eligible to receive Named Patient Supplies of dementia treatment medication being developed by Tau Therapeutics.
From 1986 till 2018 Dr. Fowlie was appointed as an Associate of the General Medical Council as a Medical Examiner, Supervisor, Specialty Advisor and Performance Assessor.
Dr. Fowlie was Chairman of a College Section and a member of the Council of The Royal College of Psychiatrists from 1986 till 1994 and its Regional Advisor until 1999. His focus on Community Psychiatric provision led to publications which underpinned both local and national psychiatric service developments. A key component was to make clinical services available in surroundings which were familiar to patients.
Dr. Fowlie was an Approved Doctor for the Mental Welfare Commission of Scotland between 1987 and 2000.
Dr. Fowlie was a Member of the Executive Committee of the Medical Council on Alcohol and its Regional Advisor from 1995 till 2008.
Dr. Fowlie was Chairman (2002 till 2007) of the multi-specialty Group - Clinicians Health Intervention Treatment and Support [CHITS] which contributed to the establishment of the Practitioner Health Programme and other specialised clinician support services across the United Kingdom.
Dr. Fowlie was joint editor with Dr Alistair Wright in 1994 of “Shared Care of People with Mental Health Problems”, the first joint publication by the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
During the period 2004 to 2019 Dr. Fowlie was (for varying periods) Clinical Advisor responsible for the audit and support of 3 UK Health Support Programmes (Dentists, Veterinary Surgeons and Pharmacists). He was appointed by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons as a health screener for their fitness to practise procedures between 2004 -2014. Dr. Fowlie was Chairman of the Crown Street Alcohol Centre from 1996 until 2004 after contributing to its development as a community resource from 1984.
Dr. Fowlie was engaged in charitable work with the Scottish Veterans ‘Garden City Association in North East Scotland from 1985.He became Chairman of the committee (2004 till 2019) overseeing the management and support of 38 factored properties occupied by disabled military veterans. Dr. Fowlie delivered the Founders’ oration in 1990 to the Aberdeen Medico-Chirurgical Society (established in 1789). After further contributions to the work of this venerable Medical Society he was elected as its President for the millennial year.
Dr. Fowlie was appointed as a Medical Member of the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland in 2005.His current appointment may extend until 2025.The work relates to oversight and application of the principles and provisions of the Mental Health Care and Treatment Scotland Act 2003 (the legal framework for compulsory detention and treatment should that be considered necessary because of mental disorder).
Dr. Fowlie has been married for 52 years. His wife was a Palliative Medicine doctor and a semi-professional violinist. They have 3 sons and 5 grandchildren.
Dr. Fowlie is looking forward to developing a detailed understanding of the Sharon Francis Foundation and hopes that he can contribute in some way to its future development.
Dr. Serge Gauthier, C.M., C.Q., MD, FRCPC
Dr Serge Gauthier is Emeritus Professor in Neurology and Psychiatry at McGill University. Previously he was Director of the Alzheimer's disease Research Unit at the McGill Centre for Studies in Aging, holder of a Research Chair at the Canadian Institute for Health Research, Clinical Investigator and Staff Neurologist at the Montreal Neurological Hospital and Institute.
His research interests include etiology and treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other related diagnosis, development of consensus guidelines on approval and use of antidementia drugs, and on the rights of persons with dementia to participate in research. Recent publications include Clinical Diagnosis and Management of Alzheimer's Disease (2006), Case Studies in Dementia (2021), ADI’s World Alzheimer Reports (2021, 2022).
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His contributions to research include design and implementation of randomised clinical trials to establish the safety and efficacy of cholinesterase inhibitors, muscarinic agonists, and agents possibly modifying progression of Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. He was a recipient of the Prix Galien Award in 1997. Among other and most recent prizes received are the Order of Canada (C.M.) in 2014, the Order of Quebec (C.Q.; Knight) in 2017, Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (Fellow). Dr. Gauthier has authored over 700 peer-reviewed articles.
He holds memberships in various national and international organizations like Alzheimer Disease International, Alzheimer Society of Canada, Association des Neurologues du Québec, Corporation Professionelle des Médecins du Québec, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Dr. Gauthier lives in Montreal, Quebec, and is married to Louise with whom he shares two children (Eric, Judith), and five grandchildren (Anaïs, Carlos, Oscar, Laurent, Clara).
We would like to acknowledge and thank our past Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee members:
(2018-2020)
Sara S. Nunes de Vasconcelos, PhD
John Kiston McIvor Endowed Chair in Diabetes Research.
Senior Scientist, Division of Experimental Therapeutics, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network.
Associate Professor, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto.
Ian M. Rogers, PhD (he/him)
Associate Professor and Associate Scientist Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System.
Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Department of Physiology, University of Toronto.