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/112713
  • 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/112713
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.

VISHAD KUMAR

Listed Specialty: Neurology
6325 HUMPHREYS BLVD, MEMPHIS, TN, 38120-2300

2018 Payments: At a Glance

172

payments

$3,162

payment total

23

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 166 $2,480
Travel and Lodging
 2 $534
Education
 2 $103
Promotional Speaking/Other
 2 $44

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†
ACTIVA

device

 $753
REBIF

drug

 $160
BOTOX

drug

 $160
LYRICA

drug

 $160
ACTHAR

drug

 $155
APTIOM

drug

 $134
ONZETRA XSAIL

drug

 $112
TROKENDI XR

drug

 $111
TYSABRI

drug

 $103
WATCHMAN

device

 $99
QUDEXY XR TOPIRAMATE EXTENDED RELEASE CAPSULES

drug

 $97
TECFIDERA

drug

 $90
OCREVUS

drug

 $90
AIMOVIG

drug

 $88
GILENYA

drug

 $87
COPAXONE

drug

 $85
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $79
AJOVY

drug

 $77
AUBAGIO

drug

 $74
TOPIRAMATE EXTENDED RELEASE CAPSULES

drug

 $71
† 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/112713

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Feb 17, 2018 $316 ACTIVA Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Feb 17, 2018 $218 ACTIVA Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Apr 19, 2018 $99 WATCHMAN Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Feb 17, 2018 $65 ACTIVA Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Feb 17, 2018 $56 ACTIVA Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Feb 17, 2018 $52 ACTIVA Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 2, 2018 $52 TYSABRI Education BIOGEN, INC.
Feb 26, 2018 $51 TYSABRI Education BIOGEN, INC.
Feb 17, 2018 $35 ACTIVA Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Oct 29, 2018 $28 AUBAGIO Food and Beverage GENZYME CORPORATION
Oct 2, 2018 $25 NORTHERA Food and Beverage LUNDBECK LLC
Aug 31, 2018 $25 LEMTRADA AUBAGIO Food and Beverage GENZYME CORPORATION
Feb 12, 2018 $24 NUEDEXTA Food and Beverage AVANIR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Feb 22, 2018 $23 ACTHAR Food and Beverage MALLINCKRODT LLC
Dec 3, 2018 $23 AMPYRA Promotional Speaking/Other ACORDA THERAPEUTICS, INC
Aug 20, 2018 $22 COPAXONE Food and Beverage TEVA PHARMACEUTICALS USA, INC.
Apr 13, 2018 $22 ACTHAR Food and Beverage MALLINCKRODT LLC
May 8, 2018 $22 ONZETRA XSAIL Food and Beverage AVANIR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Feb 15, 2018 $22 APTIOM Food and Beverage SUNOVION PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Sep 27, 2018 $22 LEMTRADA AUBAGIO MS DISEASE STATE Food and Beverage GENZYME 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/112713

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.