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/2689906
  • 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/2689906
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.

DAVID LEMCHAK

Listed Specialty: Family Medicine
501 HOWARD AVE, SUITE F2, ALTOONA, PA, 16601-4810

2018 Payments: At a Glance

137

payments

$1,761

payment total

16

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 137 $1,761

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†
DORYX

drug

 $301
EUCRISA

drug

 $287
ORACEA

drug

 $231
SOOLANTRA

drug

 $208
EPIDUO FORTE

drug

 $204
SILIQ

drug

 $173
TALTZ

drug

 $108
HUMIRA

drug

 $92
ABSORICA (ISOTRETINOIN)

drug

 $68
XIMINO (MINOCYCLINE HYDROCHLORIDE) EXTENDED-RELEASE CAPSULES

drug

 $68
OTEZLA

drug

 $57
VELTIN

drug

 $55
SERNIVO SPRAY

drug

 $44
TRIANEX

drug

 $44
ACZONE

drug

 $42
OLUX-E

drug

 $40
ONEXTON

drug

 $40
ULTRAVATE (HALOBETASOL PROPIONATE) LOTION

drug

 $40
ELIDEL

drug

 $36
PROMISEB COMPLETE

device

 $28
† 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/2689906

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Nov 12, 2018 $124 SILIQ Food and Beverage ORTHO DERMATOLOGICS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC
Jun 7, 2018 $122 EUCRISA Food and Beverage PFIZER INC.
Aug 2, 2018 $87 EPIDUO FORTE SOOLANTRA ORACEA Food and Beverage GALDERMA LABORATORIES, L.P.
Mar 21, 2018 $37 EUCRISA Food and Beverage PFIZER INC.
Sep 10, 2018 $27 FINACEA Food and Beverage LEO PHARMA INC.
Oct 22, 2018 $24 DORYX Food and Beverage MAYNE PHARMA INC.
Nov 6, 2018 $24 SILIQ Food and Beverage ORTHO DERMATOLOGICS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC
Oct 5, 2018 $23 VELTIN Food and Beverage AQUA PHARMACEUTICALS
Dec 7, 2018 $23 ACZONE Food and Beverage AQUA PHARMACEUTICALS
Aug 1, 2018 $23 EUCRISA Food and Beverage PFIZER INC.
Nov 6, 2018 $22 ULTRAVATE (HALOBETASOL PROPIONATE) LOTION Food and Beverage TARO PHARMACEUTICALS USA, INC.
Apr 18, 2018 $22 HUMIRA Food and Beverage ABBVIE, INC.
Aug 29, 2018 $20 EUCRISA Food and Beverage PFIZER INC.
Mar 8, 2018 $20 DORYX Food and Beverage MAYNE PHARMA INC.
Sep 25, 2018 $20 DORYX Food and Beverage MAYNE PHARMA INC.
Apr 11, 2018 $19 ABSORICA (ISOTRETINOIN) XIMINO (MINOCYCLINE HYDROCHLORIDE) EXTENDED-RELEASE CAPSULES Food and Beverage SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
Aug 22, 2018 $19 DORYX Food and Beverage MAYNE PHARMA INC.
Dec 17, 2018 $19 LEVULAN KERASTICK (AMINOLEVULINIC ACID HCL) FOR TOPICAL SOLUTION, 20% BLU-U BLUE LIGHT PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY ILLUMINATOR MODEL 4170 Food and Beverage DUSA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Aug 6, 2018 $18 ONEXTON Food and Beverage ORTHO DERMATOLOGICS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC
Jul 16, 2018 $18 ELIDEL Food and Beverage ORTHO DERMATOLOGICS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, 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/2689906

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.