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/26974
  • 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/26974
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.


VINCENT BIVINS

Listed Specialty: Urology
3485 INDEPENDENCE DR, HOMEWOOD, AL, 35209-5603

2018 Payments: At a Glance

110

payments

$27,787

payment total

29

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
4 $10,830
Travel and Lodging
19 $6,691
Promotional Speaking/Other
2 $5,590
Food and Beverage
81 $2,483
Honoraria
1 $2,000
Education
3 $194

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
SUTENT

drug

$7,839
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$7,735
NOCTIVA

drug

$5,141
XTANDI

drug

$3,910
ERLEADA

drug

$2,250
UROLIFT

device

$167
DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM

device

$107
ZYTIGA

drug

$74
AIRSEAL

device

$73
TITAN

device

$63
XIAFLEX

drug

$51
AXUMIN

drug

$46
TOVIAZ

drug

$42
MYRBETRIQ

drug

$42
MAGIC3

device

$41
PROVENGE

drug

$36
ADVANTAGE FIT

device

$34
XOFIGO

drug

$30
FLEXIVA

device

$24
CAPIO

device

$20
† 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/26974

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Mar 26, 2018 $5,625 SUTENT Consulting PFIZER INC.
Dec 12, 2018 $3,000 No Listed Product Consulting ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
Oct 26, 2018 $2,800 NOCTIVA Promotional Speaking/Other AVADEL SPECIALTY PHARMACEUTICALS, LLC
Apr 16, 2018 $2,790 XTANDI Promotional Speaking/Other ASTELLAS PHARMA US INC
Sep 29, 2018 $2,000 No Listed Product Honoraria INTEGRA GPO, LLC
Mar 28, 2018 $1,580 ERLEADA Consulting JANSSEN SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS, LLC
Sep 5, 2018 $1,463 NOCTIVA Travel and Lodging AVADEL SPECIALTY PHARMACEUTICALS, LLC
Sep 29, 2018 $678 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging INTEGRA GPO, LLC
Apr 23, 2018 $625 SUTENT Consulting PFIZER INC.
Apr 16, 2018 $605 XTANDI Travel and Lodging ASTELLAS PHARMA US INC
Mar 10, 2018 $571 SUTENT Travel and Lodging PFIZER INC.
Nov 30, 2018 $451 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging ASTRAZENECA UK LIMITED
Mar 10, 2018 $413 SUTENT Travel and Lodging PFIZER INC.
Mar 10, 2018 $409 SUTENT Food and Beverage PFIZER INC.
Apr 16, 2018 $342 XTANDI Travel and Lodging ASTELLAS PHARMA US INC
Sep 29, 2018 $277 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging INTEGRA GPO, LLC
Sep 9, 2018 $234 NOCTIVA Travel and Lodging AVADEL SPECIALTY PHARMACEUTICALS, LLC
Sep 8, 2018 $234 NOCTIVA Travel and Lodging AVADEL SPECIALTY PHARMACEUTICALS, LLC
Mar 10, 2018 $197 SUTENT Travel and Lodging PFIZER INC.
Mar 28, 2018 $191 ERLEADA Travel and Lodging JANSSEN SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS, 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/26974

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.