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/145589
  • 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/145589
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.

GERALD SACKS

Listed Specialty: Pain Medicine
2001 SANTA MONICA BLVD, SUITE 480-W, SANTA MONICA, CA, 90404-2102

2018 Payments: At a Glance

501

payments

$261,499

payment total

22

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 78 $128K
Nonaccredited Training
 19 $60,600
Consulting
 10 $33,290
Travel and Lodging
 88 $32,936
Food and Beverage
 306 $7,006

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†
RELISTOR

drug

 $89,843
GRALISE

drug

 $64,555
ZOHYDRO ER

drug

 $29,595
AMITIZA

drug

 $25,070
XTAMPZA

drug

 $18,850
LAZANDA

drug

 $12,832
LUCEMYRA

drug

 $8,585
MOVANTIK

drug

 $5,864
CAMBIA

drug

 $4,608
TRINTELLIX

drug

 $327
ZIPSOR

drug

 $293
SPRIX

drug

 $266
LEVORPHANOL

drug

 $242
HORIZANT

drug

 $235
AIMOVIG

drug

 $176
SUBOXONE SUBLINGUAL FILM

drug

 $175
PENNSAID

drug

 $168
SYNDROS

drug

 $136
SYMPROIC

drug

 $69
LYRICA

drug

 $51
† 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/145589

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Mar 26, 2018 $6,825 XTAMPZA Promotional Speaking/Other COLLEGIUM PHARMACEUTICAL, INC.
Feb 26, 2018 $4,725 XTAMPZA Promotional Speaking/Other COLLEGIUM PHARMACEUTICAL, INC.
Apr 26, 2018 $4,300 RELISTOR Nonaccredited Training SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC GERALD M. SACKS MD INC.
Apr 24, 2018 $4,300 RELISTOR Nonaccredited Training SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC GERALD M. SACKS MD INC
Oct 1, 2018 $4,300 RELISTOR Consulting SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC GERALD M SACKS, MD, INC
Oct 1, 2018 $4,300 RELISTOR Consulting SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC GERALD M SACKS, MD, INC
Feb 27, 2018 $4,300 RELISTOR Nonaccredited Training SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC
Dec 7, 2018 $4,300 LUCEMYRA Nonaccredited Training SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC GERALD M. SACKS MD INC.
Apr 30, 2018 $4,300 RELISTOR Nonaccredited Training SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC GERALD M SACKS MD INC
Jun 26, 2018 $4,300 RELISTOR Nonaccredited Training SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC GERALD M SACKS MD, INC.
Oct 1, 2018 $4,300 RELISTOR Consulting SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC GERALD M SACKS, MD, INC
Feb 27, 2018 $4,300 RELISTOR Nonaccredited Training SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC GERALD M. SACKS MD INC
Oct 1, 2018 $4,300 RELISTOR Consulting SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC GERALD M SACKS, MD, INC
Oct 18, 2018 $4,300 RELISTOR Nonaccredited Training SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC GERALD M. SACKS, MD INC.
Feb 27, 2018 $4,300 RELISTOR Nonaccredited Training SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC
Oct 23, 2018 $4,200 LAZANDA Consulting WEST THERAPEUTICS DEVELOPMENT, LLC
Oct 15, 2018 $3,875 AMITIZA Promotional Speaking/Other TAKEDA PHARMACEUTICALS U.S.A., INC. Gerald M Sacks M.D. Inc
Feb 19, 2018 $3,700 MOVANTIK Promotional Speaking/Other DAIICHI SANKYO INC. Gerald M. Sacks M.D. Inc.
Aug 18, 2018 $3,440 ZOHYDRO ER Consulting PERNIX THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS, INC.
Nov 28, 2018 $3,060 ZOHYDRO ER Promotional Speaking/Other PERNIX THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS, 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/145589

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.