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/254965
  • 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/254965
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.

STEPHEN SISSELMAN

Listed Specialty: Internal Medicine
100 VETERANS BLVD, SUITE 2, MASSAPEQUA, NY, 11758-4944

2018 Payments: At a Glance

124

payments

$2,017

payment total

20

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 124 $2,017

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†
FARXIGA

drug

 $273
ANORO

drug

 $168
IPRO2

device

 $149
BOOSTRIX

drug

 $125
SHINGRIX

drug

 $125
VASCEPA

drug

 $122
BREO

drug

 $116
LYRICA

drug

 $84
JANUVIA

drug

 $80
SAXENDA

drug

 $77
BYSTOLIC

drug

 $72
EUCRISA

drug

 $72
TRESIBA

drug

 $64
VICTOZA

drug

 $64
PRALUENT

drug

 $63
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $58
STEGLATRO

drug

 $57
JARDIANCE

drug

 $55
BEVESPI AEROSPHERE

drug

 $54
JANUMET

drug

 $54
† 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/254965

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Mar 19, 2018 $123 IPRO2 Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC MINIMED, INC.
Oct 17, 2018 $27 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Feb 6, 2018 $24 ANORO Food and Beverage GLAXOSMITHKLINE, LLC.
Jan 26, 2018 $23 BREO Food and Beverage GLAXOSMITHKLINE, LLC.
Sep 17, 2018 $23 JARDIANCE BASAGLAR Food and Beverage LILLY USA, LLC
Oct 15, 2018 $22 VASCEPA Food and Beverage AMARIN PHARMA INC.
Apr 10, 2018 $22 SHINGRIX BOOSTRIX Food and Beverage GLAXOSMITHKLINE, LLC.
Mar 4, 2018 $21 BREO Food and Beverage GLAXOSMITHKLINE, LLC.
Jan 10, 2018 $21 BREO Food and Beverage GLAXOSMITHKLINE, LLC.
Jun 19, 2018 $21 SAXENDA Food and Beverage NOVO NORDISK INC
Mar 30, 2018 $21 PRALUENT Food and Beverage SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
Mar 27, 2018 $20 FARXIGA Food and Beverage ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Mar 20, 2018 $20 SOLIQUA Food and Beverage SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
Aug 27, 2018 $20 OZEMPIC Food and Beverage NOVO NORDISK INC
May 22, 2018 $20 EDARBI Food and Beverage ARBOR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Jul 6, 2018 $20 SHINGRIX BOOSTRIX Food and Beverage GLAXOSMITHKLINE, LLC.
Oct 10, 2018 $20 SAXENDA Food and Beverage NOVO NORDISK INC
Mar 2, 2018 $20 BYSTOLIC Food and Beverage ALLERGAN INC.
Sep 18, 2018 $20 STIOLTO RESPIMAT SPIRIVA RESPIMAT Food and Beverage BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Dec 12, 2018 $19 PRALUENT Food and Beverage SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC

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/254965

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.