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/240769
  • 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/240769
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.

ROBERT ALTER

Listed Specialty: Hematology & Oncology
92 2ND ST, HACKENSACK, NJ, 07601-2105

2018 Payments: At a Glance

166

payments

$27,191

payment total

27

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 8 $13,630
Consulting
 2 $6,400
Travel and Lodging
 21 $4,156
Food and Beverage
 132 $2,731
Education
 3 $275

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†
OPDIVO

drug

 $7,830
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $4,838
TECENTRIQ

drug

 $4,838
CABOMETYX

drug

 $2,895
ERLEADA

drug

 $2,178
BAVENCIO

drug

 $1,564
LENVIMA

drug

 $1,057
IMFINZI

drug

 $1,025
XTANDI

drug

 $222
SUTENT

drug

 $130
ZYTIGA

drug

 $114
XTAMPZA

drug

 $105
ELIQUIS

drug

 $69
INLYTA

drug

 $56
CHANTIX

drug

 $55
NPLATE

drug

 $53
PROLIA

drug

 $53
XGEVA

drug

 $53
VOTRIENT

drug

 $49
KEYTRUDA

drug

 $42
† 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/240769

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jan 2, 2018 $4,050 OPDIVO Promotional Speaking/Other E.R. SQUIBB & SONS, L.L.C.
Feb 2, 2018 $4,000 TECENTRIQ Consulting GENENTECH USA, INC.
Jan 31, 2018 $3,505 OPDIVO Promotional Speaking/Other E.R. SQUIBB & SONS, L.L.C.
Feb 23, 2018 $2,400 No Listed Product Consulting PFIZER INTERNATIONAL LLC
Mar 24, 2018 $2,125 CABOMETYX Promotional Speaking/Other EXELIXIS INC.
Mar 21, 2018 $1,500 BAVENCIO Promotional Speaking/Other PFIZER INC.
Apr 11, 2018 $1,250 ERLEADA Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS, LLC
Jul 27, 2018 $627 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging ASTELLAS PHARMA US INC
Jul 25, 2018 $525 IMFINZI Travel and Lodging ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Feb 3, 2018 $406 TECENTRIQ Food and Beverage GENENTECH USA, INC.
Mar 29, 2018 $400 ERLEADA Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN BIOTECH, INC.
Mar 2, 2018 $400 ERLEADA Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS, LLC
Mar 1, 2018 $400 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other GENENTECH USA, INC.
Mar 24, 2018 $381 CABOMETYX Travel and Lodging EXELIXIS INC.
Dec 14, 2018 $374 LENVIMA Travel and Lodging EISAI INC.
Sep 20, 2018 $345 LENVIMA Travel and Lodging EISAI INC.
Nov 30, 2018 $266 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging ASTRAZENECA UK LIMITED
Dec 14, 2018 $236 LENVIMA Travel and Lodging EISAI INC.
Feb 2, 2018 $220 TECENTRIQ Travel and Lodging GENENTECH USA, INC.
Nov 30, 2018 $182 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging ASTRAZENECA UK LIMITED

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/240769

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.