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/240597
  • 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/240597
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.

RICKY GANIM

Listed Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease
6400 FANNIN ST, STE 2210-B, HOUSTON, TX, 77030-1521

2018 Payments: At a Glance

144

payments

$60,166

payment total

23

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Royalty or License
 1 $56,539
Food and Beverage
 143 $3,627

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†
VENASEAL

device

 $56,539
XARELTO

drug

 $410
ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM

device

 $392
ENTRESTO

drug

 $311
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $297
REPATHA

drug

 $269
CORLANOR

drug

 $176
ELIQUIS

drug

 $175
CRT-DS

device

 $172
LIVALO

drug

 $166
KENGREAL

drug

 $142
GENERAL STENTS

device

 $125
VIGILANT

device

 $124
CLOSUREFAST

device

 $116
CHANTIX

drug

 $111
BRILINTA

drug

 $107
IMPELLA

device

 $99
AMPLIA MRI

device

 $92
CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE CARE

device

 $59
PRALUENT

drug

 $58
† 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/240597

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Sep 1, 2018 $56,539 VENASEAL Royalty or License MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 5, 2018 $172 CRT-DS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 31, 2018 $149 ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Aug 22, 2018 $129 No Listed Product Food and Beverage EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Jun 18, 2018 $125 LIVALO Food and Beverage KOWA PHARMACEUTICALS AMERICA, INC.
Aug 28, 2018 $125 GENERAL STENTS Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
May 21, 2018 $118 XARELTO Food and Beverage JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Oct 31, 2018 $116 CLOSUREFAST Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 15, 2018 $112 XARELTO Food and Beverage JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Oct 15, 2018 $101 VIGILANT Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Feb 9, 2018 $99 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
May 15, 2018 $96 ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Aug 20, 2018 $80 ENTRESTO Food and Beverage NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Apr 16, 2018 $76 AMPLIA MRI Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 2, 2018 $59 CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE CARE Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jul 10, 2018 $49 No Listed Product Food and Beverage EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Mar 2, 2018 $45 PACEMAKERS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 18, 2018 $43 MICRA Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Sep 17, 2018 $36 LIFEVEST Food and Beverage ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Aug 16, 2018 $34 ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES

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/240597

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.