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/186148
  • 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/186148
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.

SHERIF AL-FARRA

Listed Specialty: Sleep Medicine
855 MONTGOMERY ST, FORT WORTH, TX, 76107-2553

2018 Payments: At a Glance

57

payments

$26,701

payment total

11

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 11 $16,710
Consulting
 4 $7,090
Travel and Lodging
 6 $1,751
Food and Beverage
 36 $1,150

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

 $10,492
LONHALA MAGNAIR

drug

 $4,362
XYREM

drug

 $4,147
SPIRIVA RESPIMAT

drug

 $2,840
BEVESPI AEROSPHERE

drug

 $2,000
SEEBRI

drug

 $1,265
FASENRA

drug

 $774
SPIRIVA

drug

 $494
VERSAPORT

device

 $133
UPTRAVI

drug

 $72
XOLAIR

drug

 $35
SYMBICORT

drug

 $24
WELLCENTIVE UNDIV

device

 $24
NUCALA

drug

 $15
CHANTIX

drug

 $13
ELIQUIS

drug

 $13
PERFOROMIST

drug

 $11
† 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.

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Apr 12, 2018 $3,750 XYREM Consulting JAZZ PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Oct 26, 2018 $2,672 No Listed Product Consulting BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Mar 23, 2018 $2,280 LONHALA MAGNAIR Promotional Speaking/Other SUNOVION PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Jun 20, 2018 $2,230 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Jan 5, 2018 $2,230 SPIRIVA RESPIMAT Promotional Speaking/Other BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Dec 12, 2018 $1,620 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Jun 20, 2018 $1,620 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Dec 19, 2018 $1,620 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Mar 13, 2018 $1,250 SEEBRI Promotional Speaking/Other SUNOVION PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
May 10, 2018 $1,250 LONHALA MAGNAIR Promotional Speaking/Other SUNOVION PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Feb 5, 2018 $1,000 BEVESPI AEROSPHERE Promotional Speaking/Other ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Feb 4, 2018 $1,000 BEVESPI AEROSPHERE Promotional Speaking/Other ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
May 9, 2018 $610 SPIRIVA RESPIMAT Promotional Speaking/Other BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Apr 26, 2018 $460 FASENRA Travel and Lodging ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Apr 4, 2018 $334 No Listed Product Consulting BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Sep 4, 2018 $334 No Listed Product Consulting BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Oct 4, 2018 $314 SPIRIVA Travel and Lodging BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Mar 3, 2018 $265 LONHALA MAGNAIR Travel and Lodging SUNOVION PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Mar 2, 2018 $260 LONHALA MAGNAIR Travel and Lodging SUNOVION PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Mar 29, 2018 $259 XYREM Travel and Lodging JAZZ 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/186148

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.