Dollars for Docs: Talk With Your Doctor

https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/
You can print this page and show it to your doctor.

This database was last updated in October 2019 and should only be used as a historical snapshot. Newer data is available at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Open Payments site.

ProPublica's Dollars for Docs database lets you search for payments to U.S.-based doctors made by pharmaceutical and medical device companies between August 2013 and December 2018. The disclosure of these payments is required under the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, a provision of the 2010 Affordable Care Act.


About This Information

  • The information that appears here comes directly from the federal government. Companies must attest to its accuracy, and doctors have the ability to contest information they believe is in error.
  • This site includes payments for such activities as speaking, consulting, meals, travel and royalties. It does not include payments for clinical research.
  • It is legal for companies to make payments to doctors as long as the payments are not a kickback or inducement to use their products.
  • Some doctors say collaborative relationships, particularly those involving research, are necessary to develop new treatments and cures. But many ethicists have raised questions about the payments, and studies show that they may influence doctors' prescribing decisions.
  • Only you can decide if this matters to you and if so, whether you want to talk with your doctor about it. If you plan to talk with your doctor (or if you already have), please help us by filling out this short survey: propub.li/participate-d4d

Preparing for Your Conversation

If you decide you'd like to talk to your doctor about this, please keep in mind:

  • Many health care professionals in our database have similar names, so you should start by asking your doctor if the person mentioned in this payment record is really him/her.
  • Your doctor may not know he or she is listed as receiving payments, especially if the payments are small. You can direct your doctor to this site (the URL will be printed at the top of the payment record) or directly to the government's site here: https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov/physician/293095
  • Some doctors are happy to discuss this information with you. Others might not be. The best approach is to ask questions and to not be accusatory.

Questions You Might Want to Ask

  • Is this you?
  • What type of work do you do with these companies?
  • Have you prescribed me any drugs that are manufactured by companies you've taken payments from?
  • Are there non-drug alternatives that I may want to consider first?
  • Are there less expensive generic alternatives to the drugs you have prescribed?
  • What devices have you used in my care that are manufactured by companies you've taken payments from?

Dollars for Docs: Talk With Your Doctor

https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/doctors/pid/293095
If you spot an error, please let us know at [email protected].

This database was last updated in October 2019 and should only be used as a historical snapshot. Newer data is available at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Open Payments site.


ROBERT BUSCH

Listed Specialty: Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism
1365 WASHINGTON AVE, STE 300, ALBANY, NY, 12206-1098

2018 Payments: At a Glance

926

payments

$773,102

payment total

23

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
266 $568K
Travel and Lodging
288 $122K
Consulting
24 $66,989
Food and Beverage
330 $15,597
Education
16 $234
Gift
2 $119

Drugs & Devices in 2018

Totals listed below account for all payments from that mention this product. Beginning in 2016, the government began classifying products as drugs, devices, biologics or medical supplies. Below, you will see drugs (drugs and biologics) and devices (devices and medical supplies). If a payment record mentions more than one product, the entire value will be included in each of those products. When no products are listed, they are not included in the list below.

Product Name Product Type Payments
INVOKANA

drug

$117K
SOLIQUA

drug

$114K
TRULICITY

drug

$79,796
FARXIGA

drug

$66,813
VASCEPA

drug

$51,266
STEGLATRO

drug

$46,409
TOUJEO

drug

$44,520
OZEMPIC

drug

$43,573
JARDIANCE

drug

$39,240
REPATHA

drug

$29,296
LIVALO

drug

$22,188
PRALUENT

drug

$21,567
BYDUREON

drug

$19,009
VICTOZA

drug

$17,701
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$16,504
SYNTHROID

drug

$13,961
SAXENDA

drug

$13,264
TRESIBA

drug

$6,485
KORLYM

drug

$3,028
JANUVIA

drug

$2,704
† May not add up to dollar total at top of page, since a payment record may not be associated with any product or can be associated with several products.

For ease of printing, only the 20 drugs and devices with the highest payments are displayed. For a complete list, please visit: https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/doctors/pid/293095

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Dec 18, 2018 $6,200 VASCEPA Consulting AMARIN PHARMA INC. Bri-Lor, Corp
Oct 11, 2018 $6,156 FARXIGA Consulting ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Nov 1, 2018 $5,873 SOLIQUA Consulting SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
Jul 11, 2018 $5,865 VICTOZA Consulting NOVO NORDISK INC
Dec 5, 2018 $5,520 INVOKANA Consulting JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC Bri-Lor
Feb 12, 2018 $4,300 FARXIGA Promotional Speaking/Other ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Jun 7, 2018 $4,300 BYDUREON Promotional Speaking/Other ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
May 31, 2018 $4,300 FARXIGA Promotional Speaking/Other ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Feb 8, 2018 $4,300 FARXIGA Promotional Speaking/Other ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Mar 1, 2018 $4,300 FARXIGA Promotional Speaking/Other ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Nov 28, 2018 $4,300 FARXIGA Promotional Speaking/Other ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Apr 12, 2018 $4,095 SOLIQUA Promotional Speaking/Other SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC Robert S. Busch [BRI-LOR]
Sep 18, 2018 $4,095 TOUJEO Promotional Speaking/Other SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC Robert S. Busch [BRI-LOR]
Aug 27, 2018 $4,095 TOUJEO Promotional Speaking/Other SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC Robert S. Busch [BRI-LOR]
Oct 10, 2018 $4,095 TOUJEO Promotional Speaking/Other SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC Robert S. Busch [BRI-LOR]
Feb 20, 2018 $4,095 SOLIQUA Promotional Speaking/Other SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC Robert S. Busch [BRI-LOR]
Mar 5, 2018 $4,000 TRULICITY Consulting LILLY USA, LLC BRILOR
Aug 26, 2018 $3,750 FARXIGA Promotional Speaking/Other ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Jul 12, 2018 $3,750 BYDUREON Promotional Speaking/Other ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Mar 9, 2018 $3,705 SOLIQUA Consulting SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC

For ease of printing, 20 payments are displayed, the largest appearing on top. For a full list of payments, please visit: https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/doctors/pid/293095

Note: We have made some effort to normalize the data and eliminate duplicates, but the data is primarily as it has been reported by the companies to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. To purchase the normalized data, please visit the ProPublica Data Store. If you spot an error, please let us know at [email protected].

This site includes data published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on June 28, 2019.