On Monday, the B.C. College of Complementary Health Professionals suspended the licence of registered massage therapist Arthur DeLuis. The decision followed the college’s determination that he allegedly failed to comply with conditions previously imposed as part of an earlier regulatory order.
The interim suspension was issued earlier this week and remains in effect while the regulatory body continues its investigation into allegations of professional conduct. Officials described the move as an “extraordinary action,” stating that the decision was made to maintain public safety during the review process.
DeLuis practised in Surrey, where both his clinic and residence are located.
Earlier regulatory measures had already placed significant restrictions on DeLuis’s practice. A prior order prohibited him from treating female patients unless they were fully clothed from the waist down.
The earlier ruling also required DeLuis to post a visible notice about this restriction on his website and inside any clinic where he practised. In addition, the college required weekly reporting of appointment information and permitted the regulator to conduct on-site monitoring visits.
These measures were introduced while the college investigated an allegation that DeLuis had engaged in sexual misconduct during a massage therapy appointment. The claim remains unproven and is still under review.
Importantly, the college emphasized that the interim orders issued to date do not constitute a formal finding of wrongdoing. Instead, they are temporary regulatory actions used while a case is being examined.
According to the latest order, concerns arose during the college’s monitoring of the earlier restrictions. The regulator stated that it identified evidence suggesting that DeLuis had not followed one or more conditions outlined in the initial interim order.
The college’s released document did not specify exactly which condition had allegedly been violated.
However, officials confirmed that the information gathered during oversight was submitted to the college’s inquiry panel for evaluation. The panel concluded that additional regulatory action was necessary.
The inquiry panel also reviewed evidence indicating that DeLuis had relocated his practice from a clinic setting to his home without notifying the regulator.
Both the clinic and the residence are located in Surrey, but the change of location was not reported to the college as required under the previous order.
The panel considered this information when assessing whether the existing restrictions were sufficient.
The college clarified that during the period when the earlier restrictions were in place, it did not receive any new complaints of patient harm.
Despite this, the regulator stated that the alleged failure to comply with its directives raised concerns about adherence to regulatory oversight.
“The panel found that the updated information, particularly the non-compliance with the original interim order, demonstrates that more stringent action is required,” the order states.
As a result of the inquiry panel’s review, the college determined that suspending DeLuis’s registration was necessary while the matter proceeds.
The suspension will remain in place until the regulatory process is completed and a final decision is reached regarding the allegations and the practitioner’s conduct.
Regulatory authorities say the interim measure is intended to maintain public safety while the investigation continues.
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