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/1391325
  • 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/1391325
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.

ANAND VEERAVAGU

Listed Specialty: Neurological Surgery
300 PASTEUR DR, STANFORD, CA, 94305-2200

2018 Payments: At a Glance

170

payments

$110,708

payment total

10

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 14 $61,998
Travel and Lodging
 77 $21,853
Promotional Speaking/Other
 2 $12,428
Nonaccredited Training
 2 $9,500
Food and Beverage
 73 $3,826
Accredited Training
 1 $1,000
Education
 1 $103

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

 $45,683
MAZORX - RENAISSANCE

device

 $23,967
XLIF

device

 $8,864
O-ARM-ST

device

 $8,795
EXPEDIUM

device

 $8,677
O-ARM-SPINE

device

 $6,479
LESSRAY

device

 $4,663
ALIF

device

 $2,064
TRITANIUM

device

 $1,084
SYNAPSE

device

 $792
VIPER

device

 $792
SERRATO

device

 $774
NUVALINE/NUVAMAP O.R.

device

 $356
EVICEL

drug

 $241
STRATAFIX

device

 $230
IGA

device

 $157
BASE

device

 $155
PROLENE PRODUCTS

device

 $122
TLIF

device

 $79
COHERE

device

 $69
† 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/1391325

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
May 11, 2018 $8,191 No Listed Product Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Apr 27, 2018 $8,188 No Listed Product Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Mar 26, 2018 $8,126 O-ARM-ST Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Oct 19, 2018 $7,887 MAZORX - RENAISSANCE Consulting MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jun 8, 2018 $7,887 MAZORX - RENAISSANCE Consulting MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jan 17, 2018 $7,277 No Listed Product Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Dec 20, 2018 $6,500 XLIF Nonaccredited Training NUVASIVE, INC. K+VI Labs, Inc
Jan 2, 2018 $6,453 O-ARM-SPINE Consulting MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Feb 26, 2018 $5,293 EXPEDIUM Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Nov 8, 2018 $4,550 No Listed Product Consulting ETHICON INC.
Nov 7, 2018 $4,302 MAZORX - RENAISSANCE Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Nov 1, 2018 $4,000 No Listed Product Consulting NUVASIVE, INC. K+VI Labs, Inc
Jul 19, 2018 $3,000 LESSRAY Nonaccredited Training NUVASIVE, INC.
Mar 7, 2018 $2,731 No Listed Product Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Mar 12, 2018 $2,729 No Listed Product Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jun 4, 2018 $1,254 LESSRAY Travel and Lodging NUVASIVE, INC.
Feb 26, 2018 $1,218 EXPEDIUM Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Apr 13, 2018 $1,000 No Listed Product Accredited Training SYNTHES GMBH
Jan 17, 2018 $983 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Feb 26, 2018 $937 EXPEDIUM Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, 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/1391325

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.