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/24619
  • 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/24619
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.

CHRISTOPHER CUNNINGHAM

Listed Specialty: Vascular Surgery
101 S RAVENEL ST, SUITE 230, FLORENCE, SC, 29506-2644

2018 Payments: At a Glance

56

payments

$17,416

payment total

13

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Travel and Lodging
 12 $10,627
Consulting
 4 $5,000
Food and Beverage
 40 $1,789

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†
IN.PACT ADMIRAL

device

 $10,226
ENDORE

device

 $4,194
LUTONIX

device

 $800
GLIDEWIRE

device

 $549
AZUR

device

 $529
NAVICROSS

device

 $529
XENOSURE

device

 $325
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $283
VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS WITH HEPARIN BIOACTIVE SURFACE

device

 $190
GENERAL ATHERECTOMY

device

 $152
VALVULOTOM

device

 $123
PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

 $122
AFX

device

 $112
CATHETER

device

 $104
PENUMBRA RUBY COIL

device

 $97
HAWKONE

device

 $43
CLOSUREFAST

device

 $18
LEXISCAN

drug

 $17
SUPERA PERIPHERAL STENT SYSTEM

device

 $17
REGRANEX

drug

 $16
† 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/24619

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Mar 2, 2018 $8,957 IN.PACT ADMIRAL Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jul 26, 2018 $2,500 ENDORE Consulting LEMAITRE VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 1, 2018 $1,500 ENDORE Consulting LEMAITRE VASCULAR, INC.
Dec 14, 2018 $800 LUTONIX Consulting BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 4, 2018 $562 IN.PACT ADMIRAL Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 25, 2018 $283 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging TERUMO MEDICAL CORPORATION
Sep 24, 2018 $248 NAVICROSS AZUR GLIDEWIRE Travel and Lodging TERUMO MEDICAL CORPORATION
Sep 24, 2018 $246 NAVICROSS AZUR GLIDEWIRE Travel and Lodging TERUMO MEDICAL CORPORATION
Oct 4, 2018 $200 XENOSURE Consulting LEMAITRE VASCULAR, INC.
Nov 15, 2018 $190 VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS WITH HEPARIN BIOACTIVE SURFACE Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Mar 4, 2018 $187 IN.PACT ADMIRAL Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 17, 2018 $152 GENERAL ATHERECTOMY Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Apr 3, 2018 $123 VALVULOTOM Food and Beverage LEMAITRE VASCULAR, INC.
Sep 27, 2018 $122 PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Food and Beverage CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Jan 9, 2018 $112 AFX Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Dec 12, 2018 $104 CATHETER Food and Beverage LEMAITRE VASCULAR, INC.
Jul 11, 2018 $100 ENDORE Food and Beverage LEMAITRE VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 12, 2018 $97 PENUMBRA RUBY COIL Food and Beverage PENUMBRA, INC.
Mar 4, 2018 $93 IN.PACT ADMIRAL Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 4, 2018 $74 IN.PACT ADMIRAL Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, 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/24619

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.