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/20862
  • 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/20862
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.

DONALD WURZBURG

Listed Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease
8150 N CENTRAL EXPY, SUITE M1001, DALLAS, TX, 75206-1815

2018 Payments: At a Glance

131

payments

$2,018

payment total

13

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 131 $2,018

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†
XARELTO

drug

 $476
PRALUENT

drug

 $239
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $234
ENTRESTO

drug

 $211
ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM

device

 $130
INTRACARDIAC ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY (ICE)

device

 $117
MERLIN CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE

device

 $114
LIFEVEST

device

 $78
CHANTIX

drug

 $65
ELIQUIS

drug

 $65
MULTAQ

drug

 $63
MOZEC RX PTCA BALLOON

device

 $53
REPATHA

drug

 $33
CARNATION AMBULATORY MONITOR

device

 $30
ASSURITY PACEMAKER

device

 $29
SUPERA PERIPHERAL STENT SYSTEM

device

 $27
QUARTET CRT LEAD

device

 $25
MYNXGRIP VASCULAR CLOSURE DEVICE

device

 $21
CORLANOR

drug

 $19
MOZEC NC PTCA BALLOON

device

 $18
† 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/20862

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 25, 2018 $130 ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Feb 27, 2018 $117 INTRACARDIAC ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY (ICE) Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jun 11, 2018 $33 LIFEVEST Food and Beverage ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Apr 24, 2018 $26 ENTRESTO Food and Beverage NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Sep 26, 2018 $25 QUARTET CRT LEAD Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Mar 27, 2018 $25 LIFEVEST Food and Beverage ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Jan 30, 2018 $23 MULTAQ Food and Beverage SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
Jul 31, 2018 $21 SUPERA PERIPHERAL STENT SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jul 17, 2018 $21 ENTRESTO Food and Beverage NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Sep 12, 2018 $21 XARELTO Food and Beverage JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Jul 10, 2018 $21 MOZEC RX PTCA BALLOON Food and Beverage CARDINAL HEALTH 200, LLC
Jun 18, 2018 $21 MULTAQ Food and Beverage SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
Feb 12, 2018 $21 XARELTO Food and Beverage JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Feb 27, 2018 $21 MYNXGRIP VASCULAR CLOSURE DEVICE Food and Beverage CARDINAL HEALTH 200, LLC
May 29, 2018 $21 LIFEVEST Food and Beverage ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Jul 3, 2018 $21 ENTRESTO Food and Beverage NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Oct 2, 2018 $20 ENTRESTO Food and Beverage NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Feb 19, 2018 $19 ENTRESTO Food and Beverage NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Apr 3, 2018 $19 MULTAQ Food and Beverage SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
Apr 23, 2018 $19 CORLANOR REPATHA Food and Beverage AMGEN 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/20862

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.