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/250647
  • 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/250647
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.

CAROLYN AKS

Listed Specialty: Hematology & Oncology
1957 ANTILLEY RD, ABILENE, TX, 79606-5208

2018 Payments: At a Glance

246

payments

$4,650

payment total

38

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 237 $4,266
Education
 9 $384

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†
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $339
IMBRUVICA

drug

 $316
XGEVA

drug

 $217
DARZALEX

drug

 $200
KEYTRUDA

drug

 $168
GILOTRIF

drug

 $168
CABOMETYX

drug

 $146
TECENTRIQ

drug

 $141
NPLATE

drug

 $140
TIBSOVO

drug

 $137
LENVIMA

drug

 $136
REVLIMID

drug

 $127
OPDIVO

drug

 $127
VENCLEXTA

drug

 $122
NINLARO

drug

 $116
ARANESP

drug

 $111
VELCADE

drug

 $100
JEVTANA

drug

 $96
VERZENIO

drug

 $95
XTANDI

drug

 $94
† 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/250647

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 1, 2018 $125 No Listed Product Food and Beverage TAKEDA PHARMACEUTICALS U.S.A., INC.
Nov 13, 2018 $116 NINLARO Food and Beverage TAKEDA PHARMACEUTICALS U.S.A., INC.
Jun 7, 2018 $102 REVLIMID Food and Beverage CELGENE CORPORATION
Sep 27, 2018 $100 VELCADE Education TAKEDA PHARMACEUTICALS U.S.A., INC.
Oct 10, 2018 $100 VENCLEXTA Food and Beverage ABBVIE, INC.
May 30, 2018 $100 No Listed Product Education INCYTE CORPORATION
Nov 20, 2018 $92 TIBSOVO Food and Beverage AGIOS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Apr 24, 2018 $91 IMFINZI Food and Beverage ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Sep 12, 2018 $91 GILOTRIF Food and Beverage BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Nov 17, 2018 $90 ZEVALIN Food and Beverage SPECTRUM PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Aug 13, 2018 $89 DARZALEX Food and Beverage JANSSEN SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS, LLC
Jan 31, 2018 $75 EMPLICITI Food and Beverage E.R. SQUIBB & SONS, L.L.C.
Mar 7, 2018 $73 XGEVA Food and Beverage AMGEN INC.
May 17, 2018 $70 IMBRUVICA Education PHARMACYCLICS LLC, AN ABBVIE COMPANY
Jun 20, 2018 $61 NPLATE Food and Beverage AMGEN INC.
Aug 17, 2018 $60 IMBRUVICA Education JANSSEN BIOTECH, INC.
Jun 21, 2018 $57 FOUNDATIONONE FOUNDATIONONE HEME FOUNDATIONONE CDX FOUNDATIONFOCUS FOUNDATIONACT Food and Beverage FOUNDATION MEDICINE, INC.
Oct 25, 2018 $36 LYNPARZA Food and Beverage ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
May 9, 2018 $35 BLINCYTO IMLYGIC Food and Beverage AMGEN INC.
Dec 13, 2018 $28 KYPROLIS XGEVA Food and Beverage AMGEN 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/250647

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.