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/266331
  • 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/266331
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.

CHRISTOPHER FRIEND

Listed Specialty: Diagnostic Radiology
1900 HIGLEY ROAD, GILBERT, ARIZONA, 85234

2018 Payments: At a Glance

36

payments

$3,153

payment total

10

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 30 $1,981
Travel and Lodging
 5 $1,159
Education
 1 $14

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†
PRELUDE IDEAL HYDROPHILIC SHEATH INTRODUCER

device

 $1,142
PRELUDE SYNC RADIAL COMPRESSION

device

 $1,142
PERFORMA CATHETERS

device

 $1,142
THERASPHERE

device

 $378
COOK MEDICAL ZILVER PTX

device

 $240
KYPHON BALLOON KYPHOPLASTY

device

 $229
PENUMBRA SYSTEM

device

 $188
LUTONIX

device

 $166
ANGIOJET

device

 $140
COOK MEDICAL CODA

device

 $131
OSTEOCOOL RF ABLATION

device

 $125
COOK MEDICAL GI PRODUCTS

device

 $118
COOK MEDICAL AAA

device

 $117
IVS - BONE CEMENTS- VERTAPLEX, VERTAPLEX HV, SPINEPLEX

device

 $108
COOK MEDICAL DRAINAGE

device

 $27
COOK MEDICAL CATHETERS

device

 $17
PALINDROME

device

 $14
STABILIT VERTEBRAL AUGMENTATION SYSTEM

device

 $14
STAR TUMOR ABLATION SYSTEM

device

 $14
† 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
Apr 25, 2018 $481 PRELUDE IDEAL HYDROPHILIC SHEATH INTRODUCER PRELUDE SYNC RADIAL COMPRESSION PERFORMA CATHETERS Travel and Lodging MERIT MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC
Apr 24, 2018 $427 PRELUDE IDEAL HYDROPHILIC SHEATH INTRODUCER PRELUDE SYNC RADIAL COMPRESSION PERFORMA CATHETERS Travel and Lodging MERIT MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC
Jun 5, 2018 $234 PRELUDE IDEAL HYDROPHILIC SHEATH INTRODUCER PRELUDE SYNC RADIAL COMPRESSION PERFORMA CATHETERS Travel and Lodging MERIT MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC
Jun 1, 2018 $140 ANGIOJET Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Nov 26, 2018 $133 KYPHON BALLOON KYPHOPLASTY Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 20, 2018 $125 OSTEOCOOL RF ABLATION Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Aug 16, 2018 $125 LUTONIX Food and Beverage BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
Jun 29, 2018 $122 THERASPHERE Food and Beverage BIOCOMPATIBLES, INC.
May 21, 2018 $117 COOK MEDICAL AAA Food and Beverage COOK MEDICAL LLC
Sep 25, 2018 $112 COOK MEDICAL CODA Food and Beverage COOK MEDICAL LLC
May 15, 2018 $105 THERASPHERE Food and Beverage BIOCOMPATIBLES, INC.
Jun 15, 2018 $101 COOK MEDICAL GI PRODUCTS Food and Beverage COOK MEDICAL LLC
Jun 20, 2018 $100 COOK MEDICAL ZILVER PTX Food and Beverage COOK MEDICAL LLC
Jul 30, 2018 $98 PENUMBRA SYSTEM Food and Beverage PENUMBRA, INC.
Nov 27, 2018 $88 COOK MEDICAL ZILVER PTX Food and Beverage COOK INCORPORATED
Dec 17, 2018 $86 THERASPHERE Food and Beverage BIOCOMPATIBLES, INC.
Jun 5, 2018 $84 IVS - BONE CEMENTS- VERTAPLEX, VERTAPLEX HV, SPINEPLEX Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Jul 30, 2018 $74 PENUMBRA SYSTEM Food and Beverage PENUMBRA, INC.
Aug 24, 2018 $65 THERASPHERE Food and Beverage BIOCOMPATIBLES, INC.
Dec 6, 2018 $53 KYPHON BALLOON KYPHOPLASTY Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, 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/266331

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.