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/217823
  • 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/217823
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.


PAUL CHANG

Listed Specialty: Internal Medicine
136 CHARLOTTE HWY, ASHEVILLE, NC, 28803-9673

2018 Payments: At a Glance

241

payments

$20,049

payment total

22

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
6 $15,120
Food and Beverage
224 $4,185
Travel and Lodging
6 $686
Education
5 $58

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
TRESIBA

drug

$11,493
XULTOPHY 100/3.6

drug

$2,613
OZEMPIC

drug

$2,505
XARELTO

drug

$1,367
ELIQUIS

drug

$346
VICTOZA

drug

$195
INVOKANA

drug

$150
FARXIGA

drug

$147
TRULICITY

drug

$141
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$136
ENTRESTO

drug

$134
CHANTIX

drug

$131
REPATHA

drug

$129
ANORO

drug

$125
SYNTHROID

drug

$117
LEVEMIR

drug

$116
AIMOVIG

drug

$87
TRULANCE

drug

$83
TRELEGY ELLIPTA

drug

$82
SOLIQUA

drug

$73
† 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/217823

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Apr 30, 2018 $2,768 TRESIBA Promotional Speaking/Other NOVO NORDISK INC
Apr 23, 2018 $2,768 TRESIBA Promotional Speaking/Other NOVO NORDISK INC
Sep 19, 2018 $2,768 TRESIBA Promotional Speaking/Other NOVO NORDISK INC
Apr 19, 2018 $2,363 XULTOPHY 100/3.6 Promotional Speaking/Other NOVO NORDISK INC
Sep 20, 2018 $2,363 TRESIBA Promotional Speaking/Other NOVO NORDISK INC
Oct 16, 2018 $2,093 OZEMPIC Promotional Speaking/Other NOVO NORDISK INC
Sep 19, 2018 $199 TRESIBA Travel and Lodging NOVO NORDISK INC
Apr 23, 2018 $125 TRESIBA Travel and Lodging NOVO NORDISK INC
Jan 25, 2018 $125 XARELTO Food and Beverage JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Oct 25, 2018 $125 XARELTO Food and Beverage JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Nov 7, 2018 $124 XARELTO Food and Beverage JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Sep 11, 2018 $123 XARELTO Food and Beverage JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Apr 30, 2018 $123 TRESIBA Travel and Lodging NOVO NORDISK INC
Apr 19, 2018 $121 XULTOPHY 100/3.6 Food and Beverage NOVO NORDISK INC
Nov 20, 2018 $119 XARELTO Food and Beverage JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Jul 20, 2018 $117 XARELTO Food and Beverage JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Mar 7, 2018 $116 LEVEMIR VICTOZA TRESIBA Food and Beverage NOVO NORDISK INC
Sep 26, 2018 $97 OZEMPIC Food and Beverage NOVO NORDISK INC
Oct 16, 2018 $92 OZEMPIC Travel and Lodging NOVO NORDISK INC
Oct 16, 2018 $85 OZEMPIC Food and Beverage NOVO NORDISK 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/217823

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.