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/118843
  • 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/118843
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.

ARA DIKRANIAN

Listed Specialty: Rheumatology
3633 CAMINO DEL RIO S STE 300, SAN DIEGO, CA, 92108-4014

2018 Payments: At a Glance

501

payments

$213,184

payment total

28

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 54 $89,995
Consulting
 27 $88,404
Travel and Lodging
 128 $23,772
Food and Beverage
 289 $10,990
Education
 3 $22

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†
KEVZARA

drug

 $62,538
XELJANZ

drug

 $45,292
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $28,447
ACTHAR

drug

 $18,528
OTEZLA

drug

 $16,122
NO PRODUCT DISCUSSED

drug

 $11,646
INFLECTRA

drug

 $7,891
HUMIRA

drug

 $6,427
ENBREL

drug

 $6,063
ACTEMRA

drug

 $4,902
ORENCIA

drug

 $3,853
CIMZIA

drug

 $470
RITUXAN

drug

 $217
REMICADE

drug

 $206
SIMPONI

drug

 $206
SIMPONI ARIA

drug

 $206
STELARA

drug

 $206
TALTZ

drug

 $137
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS DISEASE

drug

 $133
OPSUMIT

drug

 $107
† 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/118843

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Apr 23, 2018 $16,500 XELJANZ Consulting PFIZER INC. ARA DIKRANIAN
Apr 24, 2018 $10,017 NO PRODUCT DISCUSSED Consulting GENZYME CORPORATION
Aug 27, 2018 $5,760 KEVZARA Consulting REGENERON HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Dec 20, 2018 $5,450 XELJANZ Consulting PFIZER INC. ARA DIKRANIAN
May 16, 2018 $5,220 KEVZARA Consulting REGENERON PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Oct 9, 2018 $5,040 KEVZARA Consulting REGENERON HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Apr 19, 2018 $5,040 KEVZARA Consulting REGENERON HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Oct 19, 2018 $4,693 ACTHAR Consulting MALLINCKRODT LLC
Mar 21, 2018 $4,410 KEVZARA Consulting GENZYME CORPORATION
Apr 11, 2018 $4,200 XELJANZ Consulting PFIZER INC. ARA DIKRANIAN
Oct 11, 2018 $4,156 HUMIRA Consulting ABBVIE, INC. Ara Dikranian MD
Jul 18, 2018 $3,950 ACTHAR Promotional Speaking/Other MALLINCKRODT LLC
Apr 20, 2018 $3,454 KEVZARA Promotional Speaking/Other GENZYME CORPORATION
Apr 19, 2018 $3,297 KEVZARA Promotional Speaking/Other GENZYME CORPORATION Ara Dikranian, M.D., APC
Jan 29, 2018 $3,297 KEVZARA Promotional Speaking/Other GENZYME CORPORATION Ara Dikranian, M.D., APC
Aug 10, 2018 $3,250 No Listed Product Consulting LILLY USA, LLC ARA DIKRANIAN M.D APC
May 21, 2018 $3,200 ACTHAR Promotional Speaking/Other MALLINCKRODT LLC
Dec 26, 2018 $3,200 ACTHAR Promotional Speaking/Other MALLINCKRODT LLC
Jan 6, 2018 $2,968 OTEZLA Consulting CELGENE CORPORATION
Oct 26, 2018 $2,968 OTEZLA Promotional Speaking/Other CELGENE 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/118843

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.