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/197618
  • 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/197618
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.

PETER BLUME

Listed Specialty: Podiatrist, Foot & Ankle Surgery
508 BLAKE ST, NEW HAVEN, CT, 06515-1287

2018 Payments: At a Glance

67

payments

$56,283

payment total

9

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Royalty or License
 2 $17,443
Travel and Lodging
 23 $17,437
Honoraria
 4 $12,000
Consulting
 3 $7,042
Food and Beverage
 34 $2,036
Promotional Speaking/Other
 1 $326

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†
INTERNAL FIXATION

device

 $33,194
STRAVIX

drug

 $14,585
CARTIVA

device

 $2,648
ANCHORAGE

device

 $1,996
STAR

device

 $1,701
HOFFMANN

device

 $1,564
VARIAX

device

 $1,564
TRUELOK

drug

 $1,192
CALCANEAL MINIFIXATOR

device

 $689
CENTRONAIL TITANIUM HUMERAL NAIL

device

 $689
RING - TRUELOK

drug

 $617
GRAFIX & STRAVIX

drug

 $527
CENTRONAIL TITANIUM SUPRACONDYLAR AND RETROGRADE NAIL

device

 $496
CENTRONAIL TITANIUM TIBIAL NAIL

device

 $496
CENTRONAIL TITANIUM FEMORAL NAIL

device

 $451
ELBOW FIXATOR

device

 $238
ANKLE COMPRESSION NAIL (ACN)

device

 $193
BONE SCREWS

device

 $193
GALAXY WRIST

device

 $183
PERTROCHANTERIC FIXATOR

device

 $183
† 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/197618

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
May 11, 2018 $12,000 INTERNAL FIXATION Royalty or License VILEX IN TENNESSEE, INC.
Apr 6, 2018 $5,905 INTERNAL FIXATION Travel and Lodging VILEX IN TENNESSEE, INC.
Jan 5, 2018 $5,443 INTERNAL FIXATION Royalty or License VILEX IN TENNESSEE, INC.
Jul 25, 2018 $4,903 INTERNAL FIXATION Travel and Lodging VILEX IN TENNESSEE, INC.
Oct 1, 2018 $4,492 INTERNAL FIXATION Consulting VILEX IN TENNESSEE, INC.
Jul 27, 2018 $3,500 STRAVIX Honoraria OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Jul 27, 2018 $3,500 STRAVIX Honoraria OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Jul 27, 2018 $2,500 STRAVIX Honoraria OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Jul 27, 2018 $2,500 STRAVIX Honoraria OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Sep 11, 2018 $1,750 CARTIVA Consulting CARTIVA, INC.
Jul 27, 2018 $1,146 STRAVIX Travel and Lodging OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Sep 12, 2018 $1,042 ANCHORAGE VARIAX STAR HOFFMANN Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Feb 2, 2018 $800 CARTIVA Consulting CARTIVA, INC. CT Podiatric Medical Association Symposium
Jul 27, 2018 $619 STRAVIX Travel and Lodging OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Sep 12, 2018 $521 ANCHORAGE VARIAX STAR HOFFMANN Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Jul 27, 2018 $509 STRAVIX Travel and Lodging OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Jan 22, 2018 $495 RING - TRUELOK Travel and Lodging ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Apr 4, 2018 $381 TRUELOK Travel and Lodging ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Aug 9, 2018 $360 TRUELOK Travel and Lodging ORTHOFIX MEDICAL, INC.
Apr 13, 2018 $326 INTERNAL FIXATION Promotional Speaking/Other VILEX IN TENNESSEE, 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/197618

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.