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/253816
  • 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/253816
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.

PAUL MCWHIRTER

Listed Specialty: Interventional Cardiology
2485 HIGH SCHOOL AVE, STE 100, CONCORD, CA, 94520-1819

2018 Payments: At a Glance

131

payments

$2,450

payment total

25

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 131 $2,450

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†
REPATHA

drug

 $219
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $213
PRALUENT

drug

 $194
ELIQUIS

drug

 $168
QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR

device

 $160
XARELTO

drug

 $131
BRILINTA

drug

 $129
PRADAXA

drug

 $110
CARDIOMEMS HF SYSTEM

device

 $95
FORTIFY ASSURA, ELLIPSE ICD

device

 $90
ENTRESTO

drug

 $69
CUROSURF

drug

 $69
EMBLEM

device

 $65
BYSTOLIC

drug

 $62
CRT-DS

device

 $60
OPTISENSE PACING LEAD

device

 $57
CARDIAC MONITORING SUITE

device

 $47
MULTAQ

drug

 $45
CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE CARE

device

 $43
HEARTMATE 3 LEFT VENTRICULAR DEV

device

 $43
† 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/253816

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jun 21, 2018 $126 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jun 12, 2018 $69 CUROSURF Food and Beverage CHIESI USA, INC.
Aug 31, 2018 $65 FORTIFY ASSURA, ELLIPSE ICD Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jan 11, 2018 $43 CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE CARE Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Apr 30, 2018 $43 CARDIOMEMS HF SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Aug 30, 2018 $41 MERLIN CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 29, 2018 $39 OPTISENSE PACING LEAD Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jan 11, 2018 $38 CRT-DS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Aug 31, 2018 $36 ALLURE CRT PACEMAKER Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 22, 2018 $34 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 5, 2018 $32 HEARTMATE 3 LEFT VENTRICULAR DEV Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 10, 2018 $30 REPATHA Food and Beverage AMGEN INC.
Oct 17, 2018 $29 REPATHA Food and Beverage AMGEN INC.
May 29, 2018 $28 CARDIOMEMS HF SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Aug 16, 2018 $28 REPATHA Food and Beverage AMGEN INC.
Dec 12, 2018 $27 REPATHA Food and Beverage AMGEN INC.
Jun 5, 2018 $26 QUARTET CRT LEAD Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jan 12, 2018 $25 CIRCULATORY SUPPORT Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 11, 2018 $25 PRALUENT Food and Beverage REGENERON HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Feb 22, 2018 $25 CARDIAC MONITORING SUITE Food and Beverage LIFEWATCH SERVICES 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/253816

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.