Story: Drug Firms Say They'll Take Closer Look at Doctors They Pay

ProPublica identified 292 doctors who had been sanctioned or warned by regulators who also were paid by pharmaceutical companies.

To create this list we used our Dollars for Docs database, a compilation of the 17,700 speakers and consultants for eight major drug companies. We matched those names against lists of sanctioned physicians in the 30 most populous states and warning letters issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

We reviewed each case, summarized the findings and uploaded the underlying documents so they can be searched on our website.

• Because the review covered only 30 states, there may be other practitioners in the Dollars for Docs database that also have a record of regulatory sanctions.
• Payee names were primarily checked against medical and osteopathic boards. However, some practitioners are nurses, pharmacists or other health providers.
• Cases that involved minor, non-medical infractions, such as failing to update addresses or to take continuing medical education courses, were not included in our list of 290 sanctioned practitioners.
• Pending accusations were not included unless the practitioner had been previously sanctioned.
• The quality of information and the severity of the discipline imposed vary greatly by state. The same infraction may lead to harsh restrictions in one state and a mild rebuke in another.
• Some states remove older disciplinary actions from their websites. These actions generally are not included.
• The list does not necessarily note if a practitioner’s sanction or practice restrictions were modified or terminated. Documents detailing such modifications are posted where available.
• The list may not include sanctions imposed after ProPublica completed its state searches. To check current status, consult the state medical board.
• We relied on a regulator’s summary of its actions when available. As a result, our list of sanctions may not include all penalties, such as required monitoring or classes.