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/226961
  • 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/226961
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.

AVA SHAMBAN

Listed Specialty: Dermatology
2021 SANTA MONICA BLVD, SUITE 600E, SANTA MONICA, CA, 90404

2018 Payments: At a Glance

112

payments

$45,496

payment total

12

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 13 $22,200
Honoraria
 1 $8,298
Travel and Lodging
 18 $6,548
Promotional Speaking/Other
 3 $4,800
Food and Beverage
 77 $3,649

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†
XEOMIN

drug

 $22,517
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $17,229
ORACEA

drug

 $1,644
SOOLANTRA

drug

 $1,644
ALTRENO

drug

 $1,456
BOTOX

drug

 $1,258
EPIDUO FORTE

drug

 $1,257
ASCLERA

drug

 $267
ECOZA

drug

 $113
ENSTILAR

drug

 $42
ELIDEL

drug

 $23
JUBLIA

drug

 $23
MEROGEL

device

 $23
BLU-U BLUE LIGHT PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY ILLUMINATOR MODEL 4170

device

 $23
LEVULAN KERASTICK (AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HCL) FOR TOPICAL SOLUTION, 20%

drug

 $23
FINACEA

drug

 $19
EUCRISA

drug

 $17
RETIN-A-MICRO

drug

 $15
VELTIN

drug

 $13
COSENTYX

drug

 $13
† 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.

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Feb 14, 2018 $8,298 XEOMIN Honoraria MERZ NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Dec 7, 2018 $6,735 XEOMIN Consulting MERZ NORTH AMERICA, INC. AVA T SHAMBAN MD INC
Jul 6, 2018 $2,820 No Listed Product Consulting ENDO PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Nov 21, 2018 $2,777 XEOMIN Travel and Lodging MERZ NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Nov 20, 2018 $2,250 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other GALDERMA LABORATORIES, L.P.
Dec 5, 2018 $1,800 No Listed Product Consulting GALDERMA LABORATORIES, L.P.
Jul 27, 2018 $1,500 ORACEA SOOLANTRA Promotional Speaking/Other GALDERMA LABORATORIES, L.P.
Nov 11, 2018 $1,400 ALTRENO Consulting ORTHO DERMATOLOGICS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC
Feb 21, 2018 $1,305 No Listed Product Consulting MERZ NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Jan 1, 2018 $1,305 No Listed Product Consulting MERZ NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Feb 21, 2018 $1,305 No Listed Product Consulting MERZ NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Jul 18, 2018 $1,305 XEOMIN Consulting MERZ NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Jan 1, 2018 $1,305 No Listed Product Consulting MERZ NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Oct 11, 2018 $1,050 BOTOX Promotional Speaking/Other ALLERGAN INC.
Feb 6, 2018 $1,000 EPIDUO FORTE Consulting GALDERMA LABORATORIES, L.P.
Jul 25, 2018 $870 XEOMIN Consulting MERZ NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Oct 2, 2018 $828 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MERZ NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Oct 10, 2018 $700 No Listed Product Consulting ALLERGAN INC.
Nov 16, 2018 $647 XEOMIN Travel and Lodging MERZ NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Dec 7, 2018 $457 XEOMIN Travel and Lodging MERZ NORTH AMERICA, 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/226961

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.