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/1012311
  • 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/1012311
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.

AMIN AL-AHMAD

Listed Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease
300 PASTEUR DRIVE, H2146, STANFORD, CA, 94305-5233

2018 Payments: At a Glance

214

payments

$63,294

payment total

14

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 9 $27,150
Consulting
 8 $15,850
Travel and Lodging
 25 $12,885
Food and Beverage
 171 $5,909
Honoraria
 1 $1,500

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†
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $27,012
CLINICAL TRIAL PRODUCT

device

 $12,115
THERAPIES

device

 $7,499
CARTO 3 SYSTEM

device

 $4,747
GENERAL THERAPIES

device

 $4,743
MICRA

device

 $1,744
VASCULAR CLOSURE DEVICE

device

 $1,520
ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM

device

 $1,041
GENERAL EP

device

 $325
ARCTIC FRONT

device

 $288
SMARTABLATE

device

 $244
ASSURITY PACEMAKER

device

 $224
CARTO SMARTTOUCH

device

 $190
AMPLIA MRI

device

 $172
VIVA

device

 $149
WATCHMAN

device

 $146
CARTOSOUND

device

 $127
RESOLUTE

device

 $120
ATRICURE SYNERGY ABLATION SYSTEM

device

 $113
CIRCULAR MAPPING CATHETERS

device

 $102
† 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/1012311

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 31, 2018 $12,000 CLINICAL TRIAL PRODUCT Consulting BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION P & E CONSULTING LLC
Sep 22, 2018 $7,192 THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Dec 11, 2018 $6,450 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC. P & E Consulting
Mar 8, 2018 $4,700 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC. P & E Consulting
Apr 12, 2018 $3,300 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC. P & E Consulting
Jan 25, 2018 $3,300 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC. P & E Consulting
Aug 29, 2018 $2,600 GENERAL THERAPIES Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION P & E CONSULTING LLC
Nov 8, 2018 $2,600 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC. P & E Consulting
Jun 28, 2018 $2,100 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC. P & E Consulting
Jun 18, 2018 $1,500 VASCULAR CLOSURE DEVICE Honoraria CARDIVA MEDICAL, INC. P&E Consulting LLC
May 23, 2018 $1,050 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC. P & E Consulting
May 23, 2018 $1,050 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC. P & E Consulting
Jul 9, 2018 $700 CARTO 3 SYSTEM Consulting BIOSENSE WEBSTER, INC. P&E Consulting, LLC
Jul 9, 2018 $700 CARTO 3 SYSTEM Consulting BIOSENSE WEBSTER, INC. P&E Consulting, LLC
Mar 29, 2018 $700 CARTO 3 SYSTEM Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC. P&E Consulting, Llc
Sep 14, 2018 $700 CARTO 3 SYSTEM Consulting BIOSENSE WEBSTER, INC. P&E Consulting, LLC
Dec 9, 2018 $626 GENERAL THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Jan 25, 2018 $620 CARTO 3 SYSTEM Travel and Lodging JOHNSON & JOHNSON MEDICAL DEVICES & DIAGNOSTICS GROUP - LATIN AMERICA, L.L.C. P&E CONSULTING LLC
Dec 7, 2018 $426 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 7, 2018 $421 MICRA Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.

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/1012311

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.