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/2794001
  • 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/2794001
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.

RENU VIRMANI

Listed Specialty: Anatomic Pathology
19 FIRSTFIELD RD, GAITHERSBURG, MD, 20878-1791

2018 Payments: At a Glance

39

payments

$96,720

payment total

9

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 8 $77,640
Promotional Speaking/Other
 2 $12,000
Travel and Lodging
 11 $3,123
Honoraria
 1 $2,650
Food and Beverage
 17 $1,307

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†
XIENCE CORNARY STENT SYSTEMS

device

 $63,310
XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM

device

 $12,110
LUTONIX

device

 $7,690
RESOLUTE

device

 $7,678
ASAHI FIELDER CORONARY GUIDE WIRE

device

 $4,000
NC TREK CORONARY CATHETERS

device

 $4,000
HI-TORQUE CORONARY GUIDE WIRE

device

 $4,000
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $1,753
CORONARY ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

 $1,410
IN.PACT ADMIRAL

device

 $1,350
PRODUCT IN DEVELOPMENT

device

 $1,000
GENERAL THERAPIES

device

 $164
ABSOLUTE PRO VASCULAR STENT SYSTEM

device

 $155
ENTERPRISE 2

device

 $99
† 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
Aug 28, 2018 $63,310 XIENCE CORNARY STENT SYSTEMS Consulting ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jan 19, 2018 $8,000 XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jan 25, 2018 $4,000 ASAHI FIELDER CORONARY GUIDE WIRE HI-TORQUE CORONARY GUIDE WIRE NC TREK CORONARY CATHETERS XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Mar 23, 2018 $3,600 RESOLUTE Consulting MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Aug 2, 2018 $3,580 LUTONIX Consulting BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 26, 2018 $2,650 LUTONIX Honoraria LUTONIX, INC.
Mar 23, 2018 $2,400 RESOLUTE Consulting MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Aug 16, 2018 $1,500 No Listed Product Consulting EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Apr 4, 2018 $1,350 IN.PACT ADMIRAL Consulting MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC. Cv Path Institute
Feb 9, 2018 $1,000 PRODUCT IN DEVELOPMENT Consulting W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Feb 9, 2018 $906 LUTONIX Travel and Lodging LUTONIX, INC.
Oct 3, 2018 $900 CORONARY ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Consulting CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Aug 2, 2018 $517 LUTONIX Travel and Lodging BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 12, 2018 $499 RESOLUTE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 2, 2018 $312 CORONARY ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Travel and Lodging CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Jan 11, 2018 $214 RESOLUTE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Sep 24, 2018 $198 CORONARY ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Food and Beverage CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Jan 12, 2018 $175 RESOLUTE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 4, 2018 $150 GENERAL THERAPIES Food and Beverage CLARET MEDICAL, INC.
May 23, 2018 $147 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, 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/2794001

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.