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/251960
  • 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/251960
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.

PEDRO VARGAS

Listed Specialty: Internal Medicine
UNIVERSITY DISTRICT HOSPITAL, PUERTO RICO MEDICAL CENTER BO. MONACILLOS, SAN JUAN, PR, 00935-0001

2018 Payments: At a Glance

30

payments

$1,322

payment total

11

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 30 $1,322

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†
LIFEVEST

device

 $374
OPSUMIT

drug

 $141
VISIA AF

device

 $131
AMPLIA MRI

device

 $131
VELETRI EPOPROSTENOL

drug

 $125
VENTAVIS ILOPROST

drug

 $125
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $120
REPATHA

drug

 $100
PREVNAR 13

drug

 $100
XARELTO

drug

 $50
ELIQUIS

drug

 $39
BRILINTA

drug

 $39
HEARTMATE 3 LEFT VENTRICULAR DEV

device

 $35
AVANTI SHEATH INTRODUCER

device

 $25
INFINITI DIAGNOSTIC CATHETER

device

 $25
ACCOLADE

device

 $22
PREZISTA

drug

 $16
SIMPONI

drug

 $16
ZYTIGA

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.

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jun 13, 2018 $131 VISIA AF Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC, INC.
Nov 29, 2018 $131 AMPLIA MRI Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC, INC.
Aug 27, 2018 $125 OPSUMIT VELETRI EPOPROSTENOL VENTAVIS ILOPROST Food and Beverage ACTELION PHARMACEUTICALS US, INC.
Dec 4, 2018 $120 No Listed Product Food and Beverage ACTELION PHARMACEUTICALS US, INC.
Apr 5, 2018 $100 REPATHA Food and Beverage AMGEN INC.
Jun 28, 2018 $100 LIFEVEST Food and Beverage ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Sep 13, 2018 $100 PREVNAR 13 Food and Beverage PFIZER PHARMACEUTICALS LLC
Aug 14, 2018 $88 LIFEVEST Food and Beverage ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Apr 17, 2018 $41 LIFEVEST Food and Beverage ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Apr 3, 2018 $35 HEARTMATE 3 LEFT VENTRICULAR DEV Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 1, 2018 $35 XARELTO Food and Beverage JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Jul 13, 2018 $29 LIFEVEST Food and Beverage ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
May 19, 2018 $27 LIFEVEST Food and Beverage ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Feb 6, 2018 $25 AVANTI SHEATH INTRODUCER INFINITI DIAGNOSTIC CATHETER Food and Beverage CARDINAL HEALTH P.R. 120, INC.
Sep 1, 2018 $22 ACCOLADE Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Apr 10, 2018 $21 LIFEVEST Food and Beverage ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
May 18, 2018 $20 LIFEVEST Food and Beverage ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Nov 13, 2018 $20 ELIQUIS Food and Beverage E.R. SQUIBB & SONS, L.L.C.
Jan 29, 2018 $20 BRILINTA Food and Beverage ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Feb 8, 2018 $19 LIFEVEST Food and Beverage ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)

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/251960

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.