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/195104
  • 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/195104
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.

ALI MESIWALA

Listed Specialty: Neurological Surgery
160 E ARTESIA ST, SUITE 220, POMONA, CA, 91767-2900

2018 Payments: At a Glance

185

payments

$120,671

payment total

7

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 34 $70,172
Royalty or License
 9 $26,950
Promotional Speaking/Other
 2 $10,750
Travel and Lodging
 27 $10,318
Food and Beverage
 113 $2,480

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†
SIMPACT

device

 $33,296
COROENT

device

 $21,671
IFUSE IMPLANT

device

 $19,372
PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

 $16,718
SCS IPGS

device

 $10,543
TLIF

device

 $10,192
SIMPACT, ARX

device

 $3,500
PRODIGY FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

 $2,786
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $1,326
COALESCE

device

 $567
SIMPACT, GHOST

device

 $250
PENTA SCS LEADS

device

 $232
CODMAN CERTAS

device

 $218
CODMAN HAKIM PRECISION VALVE

device

 $218
CUSA CLARITY

device

 $218
DURAGEN

device

 $218
DURASEAL EXACT

device

 $218
DRG LEADS

device

 $120
AXIUM INS DRG IPG

device

 $113
XLIF

device

 $107
† 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/195104

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Apr 12, 2018 $10,500 IFUSE IMPLANT Consulting SI-BONE, INC.
Jun 28, 2018 $8,750 SIMPACT Promotional Speaking/Other LIFE SPINE, INC. Mesiwala Designs
Sep 14, 2018 $7,375 SIMPACT Consulting LIFE SPINE, INC. Mesiwala Designs
Feb 13, 2018 $6,046 COROENT Royalty or License NUVASIVE, INC. Mesiwala Designs, Inc.
Aug 13, 2018 $5,485 COROENT Royalty or License NUVASIVE, INC. Mesiwala Designs, Inc.
Nov 13, 2018 $5,442 COROENT Royalty or License NUVASIVE, INC. Mesiwala Designs, Inc.
May 9, 2018 $4,699 COROENT Royalty or License NUVASIVE, INC. Mesiwala Designs, Inc.
Dec 21, 2018 $3,750 IFUSE IMPLANT Consulting SI-BONE, INC.
Dec 20, 2018 $3,750 TLIF Consulting NUVASIVE, INC. Mesiwala Designs, Inc.
Apr 24, 2018 $3,750 SIMPACT Consulting LIFE SPINE, INC.
Feb 22, 2018 $3,600 SCS IPGS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jun 7, 2018 $3,600 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES MESIWALA DESIGNS INC.
Nov 9, 2018 $3,182 SIMPACT Royalty or License LIFE SPINE, INC. Mesiwala Designs
Feb 22, 2018 $3,150 SCS IPGS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Feb 22, 2018 $3,150 SCS IPGS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 24, 2018 $3,000 TLIF Travel and Lodging NUVASIVE, INC. Mesiwala Designs, Inc.
Nov 15, 2018 $2,700 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 9, 2018 $2,250 IFUSE IMPLANT Consulting SI-BONE, INC.
Jun 15, 2018 $2,000 SIMPACT, ARX Consulting LIFE SPINE, INC. Mesiwala Designs
Nov 9, 2018 $2,000 SIMPACT Promotional Speaking/Other LIFE SPINE, INC. Mesiwala Designs

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/195104

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.