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/210155
  • 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/210155
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.

ALAN LUMSDEN

Listed Specialty: Vascular Surgery
6550 FANNIN ST, SUITE 1401, HOUSTON, TX, 77030-2717

2018 Payments: At a Glance

223

payments

$146,271

payment total

24

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 3 $86,970
Travel and Lodging
 27 $35,172
Food and Beverage
 188 $10,122
Honoraria
 1 $7,000
Promotional Speaking/Other
 3 $7,000
Education
 1 $6

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†
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $96,398
CONFORMABLE TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $10,915
EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $9,710
MAGNETOM VIDA 3T

device

 $8,731
GENERAL VASCULAR INTERVENTION

device

 $4,633
ANGIOJET

device

 $2,839
SEQUOIA

device

 $2,500
ARTIS Q.ZEN

device

 $2,000
GENERAL THERAPIES

device

 $1,326
VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $1,165
VISITOR1

device

 $885
TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $548
ENDURANT

device

 $399
EKOSONIC

device

 $344
ARTIS PHENO

device

 $282
3F

device

 $266
COOK MEDICAL AORTIC INTERVENTION

device

 $263
TELESCOPE,HOPKINS II, 0, ENLARGED VIEW,

device

 $238
CARDIOFORM SEPTAL OCCLUDER

device

 $167
AORTIC AND MITRAL TISSUE STENTED VALVES

device

 $161
† 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/210155

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Feb 2, 2018 $82,470 No Listed Product Consulting CORINDUS INC.
Sep 20, 2018 $10,611 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
Oct 5, 2018 $10,020 CONFORMABLE TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS Travel and Lodging W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Oct 16, 2018 $8,722 MAGNETOM VIDA 3T Travel and Lodging SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
Jul 20, 2018 $7,000 EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS Honoraria W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Apr 25, 2018 $4,000 GENERAL VASCULAR INTERVENTION Consulting BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Sep 10, 2018 $2,500 SEQUOIA Promotional Speaking/Other SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
Sep 12, 2018 $2,500 ANGIOJET Promotional Speaking/Other BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Sep 20, 2018 $2,000 ARTIS Q.ZEN Promotional Speaking/Other SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
Jul 7, 2018 $889 EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS Travel and Lodging W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
May 18, 2018 $730 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging CORINDUS INC.
Apr 29, 2018 $714 VISITOR1 Travel and Lodging KARL STORZ ENDOSCOPY-AMERICA
Aug 3, 2018 $500 CONFORMABLE TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS Consulting W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC. HOUSTON METHODIST SURGICAL ASSOCIATES
Apr 9, 2018 $473 GENERAL THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Jun 6, 2018 $464 EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS Travel and Lodging W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
May 17, 2018 $418 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging CORINDUS INC.
Jun 27, 2018 $400 EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS Travel and Lodging W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Apr 25, 2018 $306 EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Mar 20, 2018 $285 VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Jan 24, 2018 $259 TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS Travel and Lodging W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, 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/210155

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.