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/192268
  • 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/192268
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.

RAHUL SHARMA

Listed Specialty: Obstetrics & Gynecology
323 S LEXINGTON ST, DELANO, CA, 93215-3693

2018 Payments: At a Glance

120

payments

$9,418

payment total

7

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 116 $5,022
Promotional Speaking/Other
 2 $4,000
Travel and Lodging
 1 $374
Education
 1 $23

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

 $3,072
ARTIS Q.ZEN

device

 $2,438
ASAHI FIELDER CORONARY GUIDE WIRE

device

 $1,369
NC TREK CORONARY CATHETERS

device

 $1,369
XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM

device

 $1,369
HI-TORQUE CORONARY GUIDE WIRE

device

 $1,369
SUPERA PERIPHERAL STENT SYSTEM

device

 $819
PERCLOSE PROGLIDE SUTURE MEDIATED CLOSURE SYSTEM

device

 $437
GENERAL STENTS

device

 $246
MITRA CLIP SYSTEM

device

 $234
GENERAL STRUCTURAL HEART

device

 $212
ABSORB GT1

device

 $174
RESTOREFLO

device

 $144
WATCHMAN

device

 $104
NEXPLANON

drug

 $93
GARDASIL

drug

 $51
SYNERGY

device

 $26
MAKENA

drug

 $23
CLINICAL TRIAL PRODUCT

device

 $13
MYOSURE

device

 $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.

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/192268

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 29, 2018 $2,000 ARTIS Q.ZEN Promotional Speaking/Other SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
Aug 29, 2018 $2,000 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
Aug 29, 2018 $374 ARTIS Q.ZEN Travel and Lodging SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
Apr 24, 2018 $177 No Listed Product Food and Beverage SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
Apr 3, 2018 $174 ABSORB GT1 Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jun 20, 2018 $166 No Listed Product Food and Beverage SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
Nov 14, 2018 $164 No Listed Product Food and Beverage SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
Aug 4, 2018 $158 SUPERA PERIPHERAL STENT SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 3, 2018 $158 ASAHI FIELDER CORONARY GUIDE WIRE HI-TORQUE CORONARY GUIDE WIRE NC TREK CORONARY CATHETERS XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Aug 4, 2018 $152 SUPERA PERIPHERAL STENT SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 19, 2018 $135 SUPERA PERIPHERAL STENT SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 19, 2018 $135 SUPERA PERIPHERAL STENT SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 9, 2018 $133 GENERAL STRUCTURAL HEART Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Mar 20, 2018 $130 No Listed Product Food and Beverage SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
Jun 28, 2018 $124 GENERAL STENTS Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
May 17, 2018 $122 ASAHI FIELDER CORONARY GUIDE WIRE HI-TORQUE CORONARY GUIDE WIRE NC TREK CORONARY CATHETERS XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 29, 2018 $119 PERCLOSE PROGLIDE SUTURE MEDIATED CLOSURE SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 29, 2018 $118 PERCLOSE PROGLIDE SUTURE MEDIATED CLOSURE SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jul 24, 2018 $110 No Listed Product Food and Beverage SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
Dec 29, 2018 $96 ASAHI FIELDER CORONARY GUIDE WIRE HI-TORQUE CORONARY GUIDE WIRE NC TREK CORONARY CATHETERS XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES

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/192268

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.