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/256820
  • 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/256820
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.

BRUCE NICHOLSON

Listed Specialty: Pain Medicine
1240 S CEDAR CREST BLVD, SUITE #307, ALLENTOWN, PA, 18103-6218

2018 Payments: At a Glance

121

payments

$50,404

payment total

17

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 7 $31,516
Consulting
 2 $9,155
Travel and Lodging
 22 $6,822
Food and Beverage
 90 $2,910

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†
RESTORE

device

 $13,912
INTELLIS

device

 $13,154
XTAMPZA

drug

 $7,497
NUCYNTA

drug

 $7,460
SYNCHROMED

device

 $5,412
ZTLIDO 30 POUCH IN 1 CARTON 1 PATCH IN 1 POUCH

drug

 $4,108
ADAPTIVESTIM

device

 $3,903
TARGETSTIM

device

 $1,084
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $305
LYRICA

drug

 $238
SUPERION ISS

device

 $141
EMBEDA

drug

 $123
FLECTOR PATCH

drug

 $123
OSTEOCOOL RF ABLATION

device

 $114
SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM

device

 $77
RELISTOR

drug

 $61
GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT

device

 $57
ZOHYDRO ER

drug

 $57
MILD DEVICE KIT

device

 $43
MORPHABOND ER

drug

 $34
† 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/256820

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 8, 2018 $7,812 RESTORE Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 20, 2018 $6,138 INTELLIS Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jul 20, 2018 $5,859 INTELLIS Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jun 1, 2018 $5,655 XTAMPZA NUCYNTA Consulting COLLEGIUM PHARMACEUTICAL, INC.
Jan 3, 2018 $4,743 RESTORE Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 26, 2018 $3,906 SYNCHROMED Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jul 18, 2018 $3,500 ZTLIDO 30 POUCH IN 1 CARTON 1 PATCH IN 1 POUCH Consulting SCILEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Mar 1, 2018 $2,500 ADAPTIVESTIM Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 17, 2018 $1,000 XTAMPZA NUCYNTA Travel and Lodging COLLEGIUM PHARMACEUTICAL, INC.
Jul 12, 2018 $988 RESTORE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Aug 17, 2018 $787 TARGETSTIM Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Mar 29, 2018 $558 ADAPTIVESTIM Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 13, 2018 $414 SYNCHROMED Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jul 6, 2018 $379 ZTLIDO 30 POUCH IN 1 CARTON 1 PATCH IN 1 POUCH Travel and Lodging SCILEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Jan 16, 2018 $372 ADAPTIVESTIM Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 14, 2018 $330 SYNCHROMED Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Aug 17, 2018 $298 TARGETSTIM Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 13, 2018 $293 INTELLIS Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 14, 2018 $275 SYNCHROMED Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
May 17, 2018 $270 XTAMPZA NUCYNTA Travel and Lodging COLLEGIUM PHARMACEUTICAL, 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/256820

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.