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/10094
  • 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/10094
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.


BRIAN LE

Listed Specialty: Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology
9301 N CENTRAL EXPY, SUITE 101, DALLAS, TX, 75231-0806

2018 Payments: At a Glance

99

payments

$108,187

payment total

14

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
16 $99,500
Food and Beverage
65 $3,123
Travel and Lodging
15 $2,564
Honoraria
1 $2,500
Consulting
2 $500

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
GENERAL TACHY

device

$70,000
ELIQUIS

drug

$14,307
XARELTO

drug

$13,445
GENERAL THERAPIES

device

$5,410
VASCULAR CLOSURE DEVICE

device

$2,500
MICRA

device

$713
CARTO 3 SYSTEM

device

$371
WATCHMAN

device

$356
THERAPIES

device

$225
REVEAL LINQ

device

$188
EPI-SENSE GUIDED COAGULATION SYSTEM WITH VISITRAX, MODELS

device

$140
EMBLEM

device

$119
PERCLOSE PROGLIDE SUTURE MEDIATED CLOSURE SYSTEM

device

$110
LIFEVEST

device

$76
COMET

device

$38
ENTRESTO

drug

$34
RHYTHMIA

device

$32
EASYTRAK

device

$26
INQUIRY EP DIAGNOSTIC CATHETERS

device

$26
RESONATE

device

$19
† 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/10094

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jun 27, 2018 $14,000 GENERAL TACHY Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION CARDIAC EP MANAGEMENT LLC
Oct 3, 2018 $14,000 GENERAL TACHY Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION CARDIAC EP MANAGEMENT LLC
Jan 10, 2018 $14,000 GENERAL TACHY Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION CARDIAC EP MANAGEMENT LLC
Nov 20, 2018 $14,000 GENERAL TACHY Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION CARDIAC EP MANAGEMENT LLC
Sep 26, 2018 $14,000 GENERAL TACHY Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION CARDIAC EP MANAGEMENT LLC
Oct 23, 2018 $3,850 GENERAL THERAPIES Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION CARDIAC EP MANAGEMENT LLC
Jul 3, 2018 $3,500 ELIQUIS Promotional Speaking/Other E.R. SQUIBB & SONS, L.L.C.
Jun 27, 2018 $3,500 ELIQUIS Promotional Speaking/Other E.R. SQUIBB & SONS, L.L.C.
Mar 23, 2018 $3,500 ELIQUIS Promotional Speaking/Other E.R. SQUIBB & SONS, L.L.C.
Dec 14, 2018 $3,300 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC Cardiac EP Management
May 11, 2018 $3,300 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC Cardiac EP Management
Dec 19, 2018 $3,300 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC Cardiac EP Management
Nov 9, 2018 $2,750 ELIQUIS Promotional Speaking/Other PFIZER INC.
Sep 25, 2018 $2,500 VASCULAR CLOSURE DEVICE Honoraria CARDIVA MEDICAL, INC.
Apr 4, 2018 $2,000 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC Cardiac Ep Mgmt
Apr 14, 2018 $755 XARELTO Travel and Lodging JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC Cardiac Ep Mgmt
Jan 19, 2018 $371 CARTO 3 SYSTEM Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Oct 31, 2018 $350 GENERAL THERAPIES Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION CARDIAC EP MANAGEMENT LLC
Sep 28, 2018 $304 GENERAL THERAPIES Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Sep 28, 2018 $269 GENERAL THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION

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/10094

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.