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/191919
  • 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/191919
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.

JEAN-JACQUES ABITBOL

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine
7625 MESA COLLEGE DR STE 310A, SAN DIEGO, CA, 92111-5343

2018 Payments: At a Glance

26

payments

$43,891

payment total

4

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 4 $22,525
Consulting
 3 $8,500
Royalty or License
 1 $5,853
Travel and Lodging
 4 $4,344
Honoraria
 1 $1,500
Food and Beverage
 13 $1,169

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†
FORTIFY

device

 $15,282
3D PRINTED INTEGRATED ALIF SPA

device

 $10,932
INDEPENDENCE

device

 $8,944
PYRENEES PLATE SYSTEM

device

 $5,853
MESA SPINAL SYSTEM

device

 $1,500
TLIF RETRACTOR

device

 $239
ADJUSTABLE LORDOSIS EXPND ALIF

device

 $213
PASS-LP

device

 $205
UNID

device

 $205
CANOPY

device

 $146
GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION

device

 $144
CALIBER

device

 $120
KODIAK

device

 $75
OTHER - MIS

device

 $75
COALITION AGX

device

 $70
SPINE

device

 $34
EXCELSIUS - GPS

device

 $32
ALTERA

device

 $27
† 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
Oct 25, 2018 $6,800 FORTIFY Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
May 18, 2018 $6,800 3D PRINTED INTEGRATED ALIF SPA Consulting GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 25, 2018 $6,800 FORTIFY Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Feb 16, 2018 $5,853 PYRENEES PLATE SYSTEM Royalty or License K2M, INC. Jean-Jacques Abitbol, MD, Inc
Jan 13, 2018 $5,525 INDEPENDENCE Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Jan 13, 2018 $3,400 INDEPENDENCE Promotional Speaking/Other GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
May 17, 2018 $2,632 3D PRINTED INTEGRATED ALIF SPA Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 24, 2018 $1,557 FORTIFY Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
May 18, 2018 $1,500 MESA SPINAL SYSTEM Honoraria K2M, INC.
May 18, 2018 $1,488 3D PRINTED INTEGRATED ALIF SPA Consulting GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Feb 2, 2018 $213 ADJUSTABLE LORDOSIS EXPND ALIF Consulting GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Jun 22, 2018 $205 PASS-LP UNID Food and Beverage MEDICREA USA, CORP.
Mar 28, 2018 $146 CANOPY Food and Beverage GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Feb 1, 2018 $144 GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION Food and Beverage K2M, INC.
Aug 20, 2018 $124 FORTIFY Food and Beverage GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 25, 2018 $120 CALIBER Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 25, 2018 $120 TLIF RETRACTOR Food and Beverage GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 25, 2018 $120 TLIF RETRACTOR Food and Beverage GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Dec 27, 2018 $75 KODIAK Food and Beverage ALPHATEC SPINE, INC
Dec 11, 2018 $75 OTHER - MIS Food and Beverage ALPHATEC SPINE, 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/191919

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.