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/154127
  • 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/154127
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.

RAMA BALARAMAN

Listed Specialty: Hematology & Oncology
433 SW 10TH ST, OCALA, FL, 34471-0209

2018 Payments: At a Glance

189

payments

$7,821

payment total

32

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 2 $3,960
Food and Beverage
 183 $3,180
Travel and Lodging
 4 $681

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†
NERLYNX

drug

 $2,809
KISQALI

drug

 $2,258
OPDIVO

drug

 $256
ADCETRIS

drug

 $216
CYRAMZA

drug

 $189
VERZENIO

drug

 $188
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $177
XTANDI

drug

 $172
XGEVA

drug

 $166
LARTRUVO

drug

 $146
ONIVYDE

drug

 $118
KEYTRUDA

drug

 $117
CABOMETYX

drug

 $112
PROMACTA

drug

 $112
ARANESP

drug

 $97
NPLATE

drug

 $97
PROLIA

drug

 $97
GILOTRIF

drug

 $86
AFINITOR

drug

 $85
SANDOSTATIN LAR

drug

 $85
† 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/154127

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Apr 26, 2018 $2,520 NERLYNX Consulting PUMA BIOTECHNOLOGY, INC.
Mar 9, 2018 $1,440 KISQALI Consulting NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Mar 9, 2018 $315 KISQALI Travel and Lodging NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Apr 26, 2018 $168 NERLYNX Travel and Lodging PUMA BIOTECHNOLOGY, INC.
Mar 9, 2018 $157 KISQALI Travel and Lodging NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Mar 9, 2018 $123 KISQALI Food and Beverage NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Mar 21, 2018 $118 ONIVYDE Food and Beverage IPSEN BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Feb 21, 2018 $115 XTANDI Food and Beverage PFIZER INC.
Apr 26, 2018 $108 NERLYNX Food and Beverage PUMA BIOTECHNOLOGY, INC.
Jun 20, 2018 $104 CABOMETYX Food and Beverage EXELIXIS INC.
May 16, 2018 $99 OPDIVO Food and Beverage E.R. SQUIBB & SONS, L.L.C.
Sep 19, 2018 $64 YESCARTA Food and Beverage KITE PHARMA, INC.
Sep 18, 2018 $58 ADCETRIS Food and Beverage SEATTLE GENETICS, INC.
Feb 15, 2018 $56 ADCETRIS Food and Beverage SEATTLE GENETICS, INC.
Apr 18, 2018 $42 KEYTRUDA Food and Beverage MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION
Mar 9, 2018 $41 KISQALI Travel and Lodging NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Apr 4, 2018 $36 ADCETRIS Food and Beverage SEATTLE GENETICS, INC.
Sep 12, 2018 $35 ANDEXXA Food and Beverage PORTOLA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Jul 18, 2018 $33 LYNPARZA Food and Beverage ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Aug 14, 2018 $25 GILOTRIF Food and Beverage BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, 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/154127

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.