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/197359
  • 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/197359
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.

DHARMESH BHAKTA

Listed Specialty: Podiatrist
3050 S CENTER ST, SUITE 140, ARLINGTON, TX, 76014-2022

2018 Payments: At a Glance

40

payments

$940

payment total

16

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 40 $940

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†
IN.PACT ADMIRAL

device

 $160
ORTHOLOC

device

 $138
FASENRA

drug

 $123
SALVATION

device

 $82
INFINITY

device

 $67
VIBATIV

drug

 $67
BAXDELA

drug

 $40
AXOGUARD NERVE CONNECTOR

device

 $38
AXOGUARD NERVE PROTECTOR

device

 $38
ORBACTIV

drug

 $30
SIVEXTRO

drug

 $22
FOOTPRINT ULTRA PK. SL, 4.5 AND 5.5MM KNOTLESS ANCHOR

device

 $21
HAT-TRICK

device

 $21
VLP MINI-MOD

device

 $21
MENOCIN

drug

 $19
HOFFMANN

device

 $17
ALCORTIN A

drug

 $17
T2

device

 $17
RAYOS

drug

 $17
AMNIOEXCEL

device

 $16
† 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/197359

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Dec 18, 2018 $160 IN.PACT ADMIRAL Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Sep 6, 2018 $123 FASENRA Food and Beverage ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Sep 13, 2018 $98 ORTHOLOC Food and Beverage WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Apr 20, 2018 $38 AXOGUARD NERVE CONNECTOR AXOGUARD NERVE PROTECTOR Food and Beverage AXOGEN
Oct 18, 2018 $28 ORTHOLOC Food and Beverage WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Jan 25, 2018 $25 INFINITY Food and Beverage WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Feb 11, 2018 $23 SALVATION Food and Beverage WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Oct 16, 2018 $21 BAXDELA Food and Beverage MELINTA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Jun 25, 2018 $21 FOOTPRINT ULTRA PK. SL, 4.5 AND 5.5MM KNOTLESS ANCHOR HAT-TRICK VLP MINI-MOD Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Aug 23, 2018 $20 SALVATION Food and Beverage WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Jun 11, 2018 $19 INFINITY Food and Beverage WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Jul 3, 2018 $19 BAXDELA ORBACTIV MENOCIN Food and Beverage MELINTA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Jun 30, 2018 $18 VIBATIV Food and Beverage THERAVANCE BIOPHARMA INC.
Jun 30, 2018 $18 VIBATIV Food and Beverage THERAVANCE BIOPHARMA INC.
Jun 11, 2018 $17 HOFFMANN Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Aug 6, 2018 $17 ALCORTIN A Food and Beverage NOVUM PHARMA, LLC
Apr 7, 2018 $17 VIBATIV Food and Beverage THERAVANCE BIOPHARMA INC.
Dec 27, 2018 $17 T2 Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Apr 30, 2018 $17 RAYOS Food and Beverage HORIZON PHARMA PLC
Feb 6, 2018 $16 SALVATION Food and Beverage WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, 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/197359

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.