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/1334606
  • 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/1334606
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.

CARLOS TORRES

Listed Specialty: Vascular Surgery
320 E NORTH AVE, PITTSBURGH, PA, 15212-4756

2018 Payments: At a Glance

92

payments

$4,626

payment total

8

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 91 $4,560
Education
 1 $66

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†
ENDURANT

device

 $1,370
C3 DELIVERY SYSTEM

device

 $769
OVATION

device

 $395
VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $308
CONFORMABLE TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $236
EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $167
TIGRIS STENT

device

 $156
IGT D SERVICE SYST

device

 $154
AFX

device

 $150
COOK MEDICAL ZILVER PTX

device

 $148
APTUS HELI-FX

device

 $127
HAWKONE

device

 $106
VALIANT CAPTIVIA

device

 $92
DRYSEAL FLEX SHEATH

device

 $73
IGT_D PERIPHERAL

device

 $72
VASCULAR GRAFT

device

 $66
XARELTO

drug

 $65
ACUSEAL VASCULAR GRAFT

device

 $40
TURBOHAWK

device

 $36
AZUR

device

 $19
† 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/1334606

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
May 10, 2018 $184 VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Mar 18, 2018 $182 ENDURANT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
May 23, 2018 $167 EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Jun 28, 2018 $162 C3 DELIVERY SYSTEM Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Aug 6, 2018 $160 CONFORMABLE TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Mar 2, 2018 $156 TIGRIS STENT Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
May 29, 2018 $155 OVATION Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Mar 19, 2018 $150 AFX Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Feb 8, 2018 $140 ENDURANT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Aug 30, 2018 $137 C3 DELIVERY SYSTEM Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Nov 8, 2018 $136 C3 DELIVERY SYSTEM Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Jan 30, 2018 $134 OVATION Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Apr 26, 2018 $127 APTUS HELI-FX Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jul 28, 2018 $123 C3 DELIVERY SYSTEM Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Jul 28, 2018 $123 VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Apr 5, 2018 $113 ENDURANT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Sep 25, 2018 $106 HAWKONE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Sep 15, 2018 $98 ENDURANT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Apr 6, 2018 $89 ENDURANT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Dec 15, 2018 $84 COOK MEDICAL ZILVER PTX Food and Beverage COOK INCORPORATED

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/1334606

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.