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/216301
  • 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/216301
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.


RYAN PICKENS

Listed Specialty: Urology
1928 ALCOA HWY, MOB B SUITE 222, KNOXVILLE, TN, 37920-1502

2018 Payments: At a Glance

73

payments

$2,768

payment total

16

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
70 $1,802
Travel and Lodging
2 $951
Education
1 $15

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
CONNECTOR,LUER-LOCK. WITH STOPCOCK

device

$836
TELESCOPE,HOPKINS,6'AUTOCLAV

device

$252
09 PROMO FLEX-X FLEX URETEROSCOPE, 7.5F

device

$163
MYRBETRIQ

drug

$163
XTANDI

drug

$157
GENERAL ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

device

$155
URETEROSCOPE, 7.5 FR. X 675 MM

device

$144
ALTIS

device

$144
SPIES CMOS VIDEO URETEROSCOPE

device

$138
24FR BIPLR COAG ELECTRDE, STERILE, PKG/6

device

$134
ERLEADA

drug

$108
COOK MEDICAL LASERS

device

$74
INTERSTIM

device

$66
CYSTO-URETHRO-FIBERSCOPE

device

$55
XIAFLEX

drug

$28
OFIRMEV

drug

$24
URETERO-RENO-FIBERSCOPE FLEX-X

device

$24
XOFIGO

drug

$24
TOVIAZ

drug

$23
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$22
† 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/216301

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Mar 31, 2018 $836 CONNECTOR,LUER-LOCK. WITH STOPCOCK Travel and Lodging KARL STORZ ENDOSCOPY-AMERICA
Mar 5, 2018 $148 09 PROMO FLEX-X FLEX URETEROSCOPE, 7.5F Food and Beverage KARL STORZ ENDOSCOPY-AMERICA
Sep 27, 2018 $138 SPIES CMOS VIDEO URETEROSCOPE Food and Beverage KARL STORZ ENDOSCOPY-AMERICA
Jun 26, 2018 $135 URETEROSCOPE, 7.5 FR. X 675 MM Food and Beverage KARL STORZ ENDOSCOPY-AMERICA
Nov 8, 2018 $134 24FR BIPLR COAG ELECTRDE, STERILE, PKG/6 Food and Beverage KARL STORZ ENDOSCOPY-AMERICA
Mar 8, 2018 $126 TELESCOPE,HOPKINS,6'AUTOCLAV Food and Beverage KARL STORZ ENDOSCOPY-AMERICA
Nov 2, 2018 $122 ALTIS Food and Beverage COLOPLAST CORP
Mar 10, 2018 $115 TELESCOPE,HOPKINS,6'AUTOCLAV Travel and Lodging KARL STORZ ENDOSCOPY-AMERICA
Jun 14, 2018 $89 GENERAL ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Oct 16, 2018 $66 GENERAL ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Jul 17, 2018 $50 INTERSTIM Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Oct 25, 2018 $38 COOK MEDICAL LASERS Food and Beverage COOK MEDICAL LLC
Sep 13, 2018 $36 COOK MEDICAL LASERS Food and Beverage COOK MEDICAL LLC
Apr 2, 2018 $25 MYRBETRIQ Food and Beverage ASTELLAS PHARMA US INC
Jun 21, 2018 $24 URETERO-RENO-FIBERSCOPE FLEX-X Food and Beverage KARL STORZ ENDOSCOPY-AMERICA
Mar 8, 2018 $24 CYSTO-URETHRO-FIBERSCOPE Food and Beverage KARL STORZ ENDOSCOPY-AMERICA
Dec 19, 2018 $22 No Listed Product Food and Beverage 180 MEDICAL, INC.
Dec 17, 2018 $21 MYRBETRIQ Food and Beverage ASTELLAS PHARMA US INC
Apr 20, 2018 $18 MYRBETRIQ Food and Beverage ASTELLAS PHARMA US INC
Aug 9, 2018 $17 MYRBETRIQ Food and Beverage ASTELLAS PHARMA US 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/216301

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.