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/178925
  • 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/178925
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.

MICHAEL EPSTEIN

Listed Specialty: Gastroenterology
621 RIDGELY AVE, SUITE 201, ANNAPOLIS, MD, 21401-1081

2018 Payments: At a Glance

310

payments

$140,180

payment total

25

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 26 $99,117
Travel and Lodging
 118 $28,171
Food and Beverage
 162 $6,124
Consulting
 1 $3,750
Nonaccredited Training
 1 $3,000
Education
 2 $19

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†
INJECTAFER

drug

 $52,698
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $36,204
INFLECTRA

drug

 $31,413
TRULANCE

drug

 $7,209
XELJANZ

drug

 $6,334
XIFAXAN

drug

 $4,820
BEACON

device

 $219
HUMIRA

drug

 $218
STELARA

drug

 $174
SIMPONI

drug

 $139
GATTEX

drug

 $132
ENTYVIO

drug

 $117
CLENPIQ

drug

 $103
AMITIZA

drug

 $58
LINZESS

drug

 $58
VIBERZI

drug

 $58
CIMZIA

drug

 $56
OCALIVA

drug

 $53
CANASA

drug

 $47
ALINIA

drug

 $46
† 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/178925

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 5, 2018 $20,904 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Jun 7, 2018 $10,800 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other SHIRE NORTH AMERICAN GROUP INC
Jan 9, 2018 $5,150 INJECTAFER Promotional Speaking/Other DAIICHI SANKYO INC.
Jan 29, 2018 $4,893 INJECTAFER Promotional Speaking/Other DAIICHI SANKYO INC.
Mar 5, 2018 $4,635 INJECTAFER Promotional Speaking/Other DAIICHI SANKYO INC.
Feb 7, 2018 $4,635 INJECTAFER Promotional Speaking/Other DAIICHI SANKYO INC.
Feb 5, 2018 $4,635 INJECTAFER Promotional Speaking/Other DAIICHI SANKYO INC.
Mar 27, 2018 $4,635 INJECTAFER Promotional Speaking/Other DAIICHI SANKYO INC.
Aug 15, 2018 $4,378 INJECTAFER Promotional Speaking/Other DAIICHI SANKYO INC.
Nov 28, 2018 $3,750 XELJANZ Consulting PFIZER INC. EPSTEIN ASSOCIATES LLC
Jan 12, 2018 $3,605 INJECTAFER Promotional Speaking/Other DAIICHI SANKYO INC.
Jul 26, 2018 $3,000 XIFAXAN Nonaccredited Training SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC EPSTEIN ASSOCIATES LLC
Apr 9, 2018 $2,733 TRULANCE Promotional Speaking/Other SYNERGY PHARMACEUTICALS INC
Feb 13, 2018 $2,575 INJECTAFER Promotional Speaking/Other DAIICHI SANKYO INC.
Feb 23, 2018 $2,289 TRULANCE Promotional Speaking/Other SYNERGY PHARMACEUTICALS INC
Oct 3, 2018 $2,000 INFLECTRA Promotional Speaking/Other PFIZER INC.
Apr 12, 2018 $2,000 INFLECTRA Promotional Speaking/Other PFIZER INC.
Mar 21, 2018 $2,000 INFLECTRA Promotional Speaking/Other PFIZER INC.
Jun 25, 2018 $2,000 INFLECTRA Promotional Speaking/Other PFIZER INC.
May 1, 2018 $2,000 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other PFIZER 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/178925

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.