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/1335906
  • 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/1335906
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.


ALI SOBH

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
3535 W 13 MILE RD, STE 744, ROYAL OAK, MI, 48073-6770

2018 Payments: At a Glance

48

payments

$4,489

payment total

9

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
40 $2,770
Travel and Lodging
8 $1,719

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
HIP PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

device

$1,317
ACTIS

device

$1,292
ATTUNE

device

$1,292
ACCOLADE

device

$302
TRITANIUM

device

$302
MPO MEDIAL PIVOT KNEE

device

$284
DJO SURGICAL TAPERFILL HIP SYSTEM

device

$195
MAKO

device

$149
DJO SURGICAL 3DKNEE SYSTEM

device

$146
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$135
AXSOS

device

$127
TRIATHLON

device

$126
TRIDENT

device

$126
BME NITINOL CONTINUOUS COMPRESSION IMPLANTS

device

$125
MACI _ PEAK STUDY

drug

$122
DENOVO

device

$120
BACTISURE

device

$118
TMARS LINERS

device

$114
PERSONA

device

$109
AXOGUARD NERVE CONNECTOR

device

$106
† 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/1335906

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 9, 2018 $528 HIP PRODUCT PORTFOLIO Travel and Lodging ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 5, 2018 $418 ATTUNE ACTIS Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Oct 5, 2018 $350 ATTUNE ACTIS Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Aug 9, 2018 $190 HIP PRODUCT PORTFOLIO Travel and Lodging ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Nov 3, 2018 $149 TRITANIUM MAKO ACCOLADE Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Nov 1, 2018 $146 DJO SURGICAL TAPERFILL HIP SYSTEM DJO SURGICAL 3DKNEE SYSTEM Food and Beverage ENCORE MEDICAL, LP
Oct 5, 2018 $138 ATTUNE ACTIS Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Sep 26, 2018 $138 MPO MEDIAL PIVOT KNEE Food and Beverage MICROPORT ORTHOPEDICS INC
Oct 8, 2018 $135 No Listed Product Food and Beverage PINNACLE, INC
Dec 6, 2018 $127 AXSOS Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Sep 18, 2018 $126 ACCOLADE TRITANIUM TRIATHLON TRIDENT Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Sep 6, 2018 $125 BME NITINOL CONTINUOUS COMPRESSION IMPLANTS Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
Nov 12, 2018 $122 MACI _ PEAK STUDY Food and Beverage VERICEL CORPORATION
Sep 27, 2018 $122 HIP PRODUCT PORTFOLIO Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Jan 8, 2018 $120 DENOVO Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Jan 16, 2018 $118 BACTISURE Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 5, 2018 $115 ATTUNE ACTIS Food and Beverage MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Nov 8, 2018 $114 TMARS LINERS Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Dec 20, 2018 $109 PERSONA Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 18, 2018 $106 AXOGUARD NERVE CONNECTOR AXOGUARD NERVE PROTECTOR Food and Beverage AXOGEN

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/1335906

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.