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/201679
  • 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/201679
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.

DAVID FORSHAW

Listed Specialty: Neurological Surgery
500 CHASE PKWY, WATERBURY, CT, 06708-3346

2018 Payments: At a Glance

67

payments

$27,632

payment total

6

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 3 $18,275
Travel and Lodging
 9 $6,787
Food and Beverage
 55 $2,570

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†
XIA

device

 $16,642
ARIA

device

 $16,616
AERO

device

 $16,498
OASYS

device

 $16,363
ES2

device

 $16,353
SPINE TRUSS SYSTEM

device

 $9,779
VIVIGEN

device

 $153
TRITANIUM

device

 $146
SERRATO

device

 $133
VIPER

device

 $126
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $108
GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT

device

 $103
ON-Q PUMP AND ACCESSORIES

device

 $93
NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

device

 $65
BIO4

device

 $61
AVIATOR

device

 $38
COUGAR

device

 $38
IMBIBE

device

 $30
VECTRA

device

 $11
VITOSS

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/201679

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Nov 29, 2018 $13,775 AERO ARIA XIA OASYS ES2 Consulting STRYKER CORPORATION
Feb 28, 2018 $2,500 SPINE TRUSS SYSTEM Consulting 4WEB, INC.
Mar 1, 2018 $2,000 SPINE TRUSS SYSTEM Consulting 4WEB, INC.
Aug 2, 2018 $1,588 SPINE TRUSS SYSTEM Travel and Lodging 4WEB, INC.
Nov 5, 2018 $1,264 AERO ARIA XIA OASYS ES2 Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Aug 2, 2018 $1,147 SPINE TRUSS SYSTEM Travel and Lodging 4WEB, INC.
Nov 15, 2018 $748 AERO ARIA XIA OASYS ES2 Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Aug 2, 2018 $655 SPINE TRUSS SYSTEM Travel and Lodging 4WEB, INC.
Mar 26, 2018 $510 SPINE TRUSS SYSTEM Travel and Lodging 4WEB, INC.
Nov 15, 2018 $473 AERO ARIA XIA OASYS ES2 Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
May 11, 2018 $298 SPINE TRUSS SYSTEM Travel and Lodging 4WEB, INC.
Sep 26, 2018 $155 SPINE TRUSS SYSTEM Food and Beverage 4WEB, INC.
Nov 16, 2018 $145 AERO Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Dec 13, 2018 $133 XIA SERRATO TRITANIUM Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Feb 28, 2018 $122 VIVIGEN Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
Sep 28, 2018 $119 SPINE TRUSS SYSTEM Food and Beverage 4WEB, INC.
Sep 6, 2018 $112 SPINE TRUSS SYSTEM Food and Beverage 4WEB, INC.
Jun 13, 2018 $109 ARIA XIA Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
May 10, 2018 $104 SPINE TRUSS SYSTEM Travel and Lodging 4WEB, INC.
Oct 10, 2018 $103 No Listed Product Food and Beverage DJO, LLC

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/201679

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.