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/1976
  • 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/1976
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.

JAMES SFERRA

Listed Specialty: Foot and Ankle Surgery
1307 FEDERAL ST, 2ND FLOOR, PITTSBURGH, PA, 15212-4769

2018 Payments: At a Glance

111

payments

$44,142

payment total

16

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 26 $17,767
Promotional Speaking/Other
 2 $11,000
Honoraria
 2 $5,750
Food and Beverage
 58 $4,423
Travel and Lodging
 12 $2,879
Royalty or License
 3 $2,206
Education
 8 $117

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†
ACUTRAK HEADLESS COMPRESSION SCREW SYSTEM

device

 $11,824
ANKLE PLATING SYSTEM

device

 $11,824
CALCANEAL PLATING SYSTEM

device

 $11,824
FIBULA ROD SYSTEM

device

 $11,824
FOREFOOT/MIDFOOT PLATING SYSTEM

device

 $11,059
TRIWAY TTC NAIL

device

 $6,859
QUANTUM TOTAL ANKLE

device

 $6,741
PROPHECY

device

 $4,950
CANNULINK

device

 $4,630
BONE HEALING PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

device

 $3,375
AUGMENT

device

 $3,058
MICA

device

 $2,045
GRAVITY

device

 $1,427
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $1,224
INFINITY

device

 $696
VARIAX

device

 $670
INBONE

device

 $529
BME NITINOL CONTINUOUS COMPRESSION IMPLANTS

device

 $402
ANCHORAGE

device

 $383
TRUELOK

drug

 $382
† 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/1976

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jun 18, 2018 $8,500 ANKLE PLATING SYSTEM FOREFOOT/MIDFOOT PLATING SYSTEM CALCANEAL PLATING SYSTEM FIBULA ROD SYSTEM ACUTRAK HEADLESS COMPRESSION SCREW SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other ACUMED LLC
Jul 9, 2018 $3,750 QUANTUM TOTAL ANKLE TRIWAY TTC NAIL Honoraria IN2BONES USA, LLC
Jun 18, 2018 $2,500 ANKLE PLATING SYSTEM FOREFOOT/MIDFOOT PLATING SYSTEM CALCANEAL PLATING SYSTEM FIBULA ROD SYSTEM ACUTRAK HEADLESS COMPRESSION SCREW SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other ACUMED LLC
Dec 14, 2018 $2,000 QUANTUM TOTAL ANKLE TRIWAY TTC NAIL Honoraria IN2BONES USA, LLC
Jun 7, 2018 $1,800 PROPHECY Consulting WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Aug 2, 2018 $1,800 MICA Consulting WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC. MICHAEL J. BAUER, MD & ASSOCIATES INC
Nov 6, 2018 $1,800 PROPHECY Consulting WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Apr 27, 2018 $1,474 CANNULINK Consulting WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Apr 24, 2018 $1,375 BONE HEALING PRODUCT PORTFOLIO Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Apr 24, 2018 $1,000 BONE HEALING PRODUCT PORTFOLIO Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 29, 2018 $986 CANNULINK Royalty or License WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Jul 27, 2018 $971 CANNULINK Royalty or License WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Jan 30, 2018 $950 CANNULINK Consulting WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Aug 2, 2018 $900 AUGMENT Consulting WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC. BRUDER CONSULTING INTERNATIONAL LLC
Aug 2, 2018 $900 AUGMENT Consulting WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC. BRUDER CONSULTING INTERNATIONAL LLC
Jun 7, 2018 $900 PROPHECY Consulting WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Aug 2, 2018 $900 AUGMENT Consulting WRIGHT MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC. BRUDER CONSULTING INTERNATIONAL LLC
May 11, 2018 $581 QUANTUM TOTAL ANKLE TRIWAY TTC NAIL Travel and Lodging IN2BONES USA, LLC
Apr 27, 2018 $462 ANKLE PLATING SYSTEM CALCANEAL PLATING SYSTEM FIBULA ROD SYSTEM ACUTRAK HEADLESS COMPRESSION SCREW SYSTEM Travel and Lodging ACUMED LLC
Nov 6, 2018 $450 PROPHECY Consulting 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/1976

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.