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/142265
  • 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/142265
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.

BRIAN LEPOW

Listed Specialty: Podiatrist, Foot & Ankle Surgery
7777 SOUTHWEST FWY STE 322, HOUSTON, TX, 77074-1805

2018 Payments: At a Glance

41

payments

$19,634

payment total

15

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 4 $12,041
Travel and Lodging
 8 $5,119
Food and Beverage
 28 $2,457
Education
 1 $17

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

 $17,999
FOX SV PTA CATHETER AND ARMADA 14 PERCUTANEOUS CATHETER AND VIATRAC 14 PLUS PERIPHERAL CATHETER

device

 $635
HERCULINK ELITE RENAL AND BILIARY STENT SYSTEM

device

 $635
HI-TORQUE SPARTACORE GUIDE WIRES

device

 $635
OMNILINK ELITE VASCULAR STENT SYSTEM

device

 $635
SUPERA PERIPHERAL STENT SYSTEM

device

 $635
PLUROGEL BURN & WOUND DRESSINGS

device

 $385
HYALOMATRIX WOUND DEVICE

device

 $343
AMNIOEXCEL

device

 $176
PRIMATRIX

device

 $176
TCC-EZ

device

 $176
MEDIHONEY

device

 $127
OMNIGRAFT

device

 $127
GENERAL ANGIOGRAPHY

device

 $95
SURGIMEND

device

 $94
FLEXITOUCH

device

 $54
ACTITOUCH

device

 $54
ENTRE

device

 $54
NON APPLICABLE

device

 $48
NEUROMEND

device

 $40
† 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/142265

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jul 17, 2018 $3,990 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Jul 9, 2018 $3,135 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
May 7, 2018 $3,064 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Jul 9, 2018 $1,853 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Jul 9, 2018 $1,525 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Jul 17, 2018 $1,495 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Apr 5, 2018 $1,090 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
May 24, 2018 $689 No Listed Product Food and Beverage KERECIS LIMITED
Aug 26, 2018 $404 No Listed Product Food and Beverage MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC. SIMPLE SCIENCE INC
Aug 26, 2018 $386 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC. SIMPLE SCIENCE INC
Aug 8, 2018 $334 FOX SV PTA CATHETER AND ARMADA 14 PERCUTANEOUS CATHETER AND VIATRAC 14 PLUS PERIPHERAL CATHETER HERCULINK ELITE RENAL AND BILIARY STENT SYSTEM HI-TORQUE SPARTACORE GUIDE WIRES OMNILINK ELITE VASCULAR STENT SYSTEM SUPERA PERIPHERAL STENT SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Aug 8, 2018 $294 FOX SV PTA CATHETER AND ARMADA 14 PERCUTANEOUS CATHETER AND VIATRAC 14 PLUS PERIPHERAL CATHETER HERCULINK ELITE RENAL AND BILIARY STENT SYSTEM HI-TORQUE SPARTACORE GUIDE WIRES OMNILINK ELITE VASCULAR STENT SYSTEM SUPERA PERIPHERAL STENT SYSTEM Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 7, 2018 $196 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Apr 6, 2018 $129 PLUROGEL BURN & WOUND DRESSINGS HYALOMATRIX WOUND DEVICE Food and Beverage MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Feb 1, 2018 $124 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Feb 1, 2018 $116 PLUROGEL BURN & WOUND DRESSINGS HYALOMATRIX WOUND DEVICE Food and Beverage MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Sep 20, 2018 $95 GENERAL ANGIOGRAPHY Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Oct 10, 2018 $94 SURGIMEND Food and Beverage TEI BIOSCIENCES INC
Apr 4, 2018 $53 HYALOMATRIX WOUND DEVICE PLUROGEL BURN & WOUND DRESSINGS Food and Beverage MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC.
Mar 21, 2018 $48 PRIMATRIX NON APPLICABLE TCC-EZ AMNIOEXCEL Food and Beverage TEI MEDICAL 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/142265

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.