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/1289905
  • 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/1289905
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.

IGOR DE CASTRO

Listed Specialty: Neurological Surgery
1 MERCY LN, SUITE 502, HOT SPRINGS, AR, 71913-6442

2018 Payments: At a Glance

65

payments

$64,663

payment total

14

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 1 $35,000
Promotional Speaking/Other
 4 $20,659
Travel and Lodging
 25 $7,368
Food and Beverage
 35 $1,636

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

 $35,723
DIVERGENCE-L

device

 $14,814
PIVOX OBLIQUE LATERAL SPINAL SYSTEM

device

 $6,838
TRITANIUM

device

 $2,094
O-ARM-ST

device

 $1,345
CD HORIZON

device

 $1,113
MULTIPLE PRODUCTS

device

 $790
OTHER - MISCELLANEOUS

device

 $589
AERO

device

 $472
AVIATOR

device

 $472
SERRATO

device

 $472
CASCADIA INTERBODY SYSTEM

device

 $457
MIDAS REX

device

 $420
OTHER - MIS

device

 $132
VIPER

device

 $92
ARIA

device

 $77
NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

device

 $51
SYMPHONY

device

 $40
CMF SPINALOGIC

device

 $23
COFLEX

device

 $22
† 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/1289905

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Nov 15, 2018 $35,000 No Listed Product Consulting ARTERIOCYTE MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
Nov 7, 2018 $6,970 DIVERGENCE-L Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 20, 2018 $6,890 DIVERGENCE-L Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC. Neurological Institute
Nov 7, 2018 $3,419 PIVOX OBLIQUE LATERAL SPINAL SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 28, 2018 $3,380 PIVOX OBLIQUE LATERAL SPINAL SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC. Neurological Institute
Apr 9, 2018 $942 CD HORIZON Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jun 21, 2018 $923 TRITANIUM Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Jun 21, 2018 $660 TRITANIUM Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Nov 10, 2018 $646 O-ARM-ST Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Aug 3, 2018 $589 OTHER - MISCELLANEOUS Travel and Lodging ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
Feb 9, 2018 $475 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MAZOR ROBOTICS INC.
Aug 21, 2018 $457 DIVERGENCE-L Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Aug 3, 2018 $335 MULTIPLE PRODUCTS Travel and Lodging ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
Nov 10, 2018 $281 O-ARM-ST Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jun 21, 2018 $234 TRITANIUM AERO AVIATOR SERRATO Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Aug 22, 2018 $199 DIVERGENCE-L Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Aug 22, 2018 $182 DIVERGENCE-L Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Nov 10, 2018 $169 MIDAS REX Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Mar 9, 2018 $156 CASCADIA INTERBODY SYSTEM Travel and Lodging K2M, INC.
Nov 10, 2018 $149 O-ARM-ST Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, 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/1289905

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.