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/10603
  • 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/10603
If you spot an error, please let us know at drugs@propublica.org.

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.


JOHN KOO

Listed Specialty: Dermatology
515 SPRUCE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA, 94118-2616

2018 Payments: At a Glance

519

payments

$516,018

payment total

16

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
114 $335K
Travel and Lodging
171 $74,380
Consulting
16 $52,630
Honoraria
6 $23,600
Nonaccredited Training
4 $15,600
Food and Beverage
207 $14,839
Education
1 $79

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
OTEZLA

drug

$117K
TALTZ

drug

$88,275
HUMIRA

drug

$74,469
COSENTYX

drug

$55,346
DUPIXENT

drug

$38,021
ENSTILAR

drug

$35,952
TREMFYA

drug

$29,735
ILUMYA

drug

$28,997
PICATO

drug

$24,223
SILIQ

drug

$20,140
CIMZIA

drug

$14,360
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$14,014
DIOVAN

drug

$388
DERMATITIS - DISEASE

drug

$196
EUCRISA

drug

$58
ASTHMA - DISEASE

drug

$56
STELARA

drug

$40
† 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.

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
May 29, 2018 $9,572 DUPIXENT Promotional Speaking/Other REGENERON HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Nov 7, 2018 $7,800 TREMFYA Consulting JANSSEN BIOTECH, INC.
Oct 18, 2018 $7,445 DUPIXENT Promotional Speaking/Other REGENERON HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Feb 12, 2018 $6,650 TALTZ Consulting LILLY USA, LLC
May 24, 2018 $6,280 OTEZLA Promotional Speaking/Other CELGENE CORPORATION
May 8, 2018 $6,280 OTEZLA Promotional Speaking/Other CELGENE CORPORATION
May 22, 2018 $6,280 OTEZLA Promotional Speaking/Other CELGENE CORPORATION
Jan 6, 2018 $6,280 OTEZLA Consulting CELGENE CORPORATION
May 1, 2018 $6,280 OTEZLA Promotional Speaking/Other CELGENE CORPORATION
May 10, 2018 $6,280 OTEZLA Promotional Speaking/Other CELGENE CORPORATION
Oct 22, 2018 $6,000 CIMZIA Promotional Speaking/Other UCB, INC.
Dec 12, 2018 $6,000 ILUMYA Honoraria SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
Sep 26, 2018 $5,000 SILIQ Nonaccredited Training ORTHO DERMATOLOGICS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC
Feb 6, 2018 $5,000 SILIQ Nonaccredited Training ORTHO DERMATOLOGICS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC
Dec 13, 2018 $4,800 COSENTYX Promotional Speaking/Other NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Dec 18, 2018 $4,400 ILUMYA Honoraria SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
Oct 24, 2018 $4,400 ILUMYA Honoraria SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
Jul 14, 2018 $4,400 ILUMYA Honoraria SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
Dec 12, 2018 $4,254 DUPIXENT Promotional Speaking/Other GENZYME CORPORATION
May 1, 2018 $4,200 HUMIRA Promotional Speaking/Other ABBVIE, 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/10603

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 drugs@propublica.org.

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