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/175103
  • 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/175103
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.

LUTHER HOLTON

Listed Specialty: Plastic Surgery
2000 MEDICAL PKWY, ANNAPOLIS, MD, 21401-3742

2018 Payments: At a Glance

63

payments

$77,135

payment total

13

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 12 $56,192
Promotional Speaking/Other
 2 $11,325
Travel and Lodging
 15 $7,368
Food and Beverage
 34 $2,251

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†
AEROFORM TISSUE EXPANDER SYSTEM

device

 $30,381
SPY TECHNOLOGY

device

 $13,130
PREVENA

device

 $11,617
ADAPTIC

device

 $8,925
ALLODERM

device

 $7,409
STRATTICE

device

 $4,800
AIM LAPARASCOPES

device

 $4,000
VAC VERAFLO

device

 $1,534
SNAP

device

 $1,095
NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

device

 $382
DERMACELL

device

 $249
ARTISS

drug

 $217
SYNECOR BIOMATERIAL

device

 $133
ABTHERA

device

 $64
NATRELLE

device

 $56
OVITEX

device

 $41
STRATAFIX

device

 $34
AXOGUARD NERVE CONNECTOR

device

 $28
AXOGUARD NERVE PROTECTOR

device

 $28
MEMORYGEL BREAST IMPLANTS

device

 $22
† 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/175103

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Sep 27, 2018 $9,000 SPY TECHNOLOGY Consulting STRYKER CORPORATION
Apr 11, 2018 $8,925 ADAPTIC Promotional Speaking/Other KCI USA, INC
May 9, 2018 $7,615 AEROFORM TISSUE EXPANDER SYSTEM Consulting AIRXPANDERS, INC.
Aug 10, 2018 $6,912 AEROFORM TISSUE EXPANDER SYSTEM Consulting AIRXPANDERS, INC.
Oct 11, 2018 $5,601 AEROFORM TISSUE EXPANDER SYSTEM Consulting AIRXPANDERS, INC.
Apr 18, 2018 $5,250 PREVENA Consulting KCI USA, INC
May 31, 2018 $5,061 AEROFORM TISSUE EXPANDER SYSTEM Consulting AIRXPANDERS, INC.
Jul 25, 2018 $4,800 STRATTICE ALLODERM Consulting ALLERGAN INC.
Sep 13, 2018 $4,000 AIM LAPARASCOPES Consulting STRYKER CORPORATION
Nov 8, 2018 $3,428 AEROFORM TISSUE EXPANDER SYSTEM Consulting AIRXPANDERS, INC.
Apr 18, 2018 $3,315 PREVENA Travel and Lodging KCI USA, INC
Sep 13, 2018 $2,500 SPY TECHNOLOGY Consulting STRYKER CORPORATION
Dec 20, 2018 $2,400 ALLODERM Promotional Speaking/Other ALLERGAN INC.
Sep 27, 2018 $1,500 SPY TECHNOLOGY Consulting STRYKER CORPORATION
Apr 18, 2018 $585 PREVENA Travel and Lodging KCI USA, INC
Mar 15, 2018 $585 PREVENA VAC VERAFLO SNAP Travel and Lodging KCI USA, INC
Feb 9, 2018 $525 PREVENA Consulting KCI USA, INC
Mar 15, 2018 $475 VAC VERAFLO Food and Beverage KCI USA, INC
Mar 15, 2018 $474 PREVENA VAC VERAFLO SNAP Travel and Lodging KCI USA, INC
Mar 7, 2018 $409 PREVENA Travel and Lodging KCI USA, 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/175103

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.