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/293117
  • 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/293117
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 STURBAUM

Listed Specialty: Ophthalmology
1414 N HOUK RD, SUITE 103, SPOKANE VALLEY, WA, 99216-1097

2018 Payments: At a Glance

50

payments

$11,606

payment total

14

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 3 $4,500
Honoraria
 2 $3,000
Travel and Lodging
 1 $2,349
Food and Beverage
 43 $1,746
Education
 1 $11

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†
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $5,178
RESTASIS

drug

 $1,983
CEQUA (CYCLOSPORINE OPHTHALMIC SOLUTION) 0.09%

drug

 $1,687
BROMSITE

drug

 $1,599
CATALYS LASER SYSTEM

device

 $274
WHITESTART PHACOEMULSFICIATION SYSTEM

device

 $272
TECNIS MULTIFOCAL FAMILY OF 1-PIECE IOLS

device

 $171
PHACOFRAGMENTATION ACCESSORIES

device

 $137
HEALON VISCOELASTICS

device

 $125
EYLEA

drug

 $110
LOTEMAX

drug

 $102
BESIVANCE

drug

 $84
VYZULTA

drug

 $69
XIIDRA

drug

 $55
RHOPRESSA

drug

 $49
ACTHAR

drug

 $39
DUREZOL

drug

 $37
TEARSCIENCE LIPIFLOW SYSTEM

device

 $30
LUMIGAN

drug

 $25
OMNI SURGICAL SYSTEM

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/293117

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Dec 4, 2018 $2,550 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other JOHNSON & JOHNSON SURGICAL VISION, INC.
Dec 4, 2018 $2,349 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging JOHNSON & JOHNSON SURGICAL VISION, INC.
Dec 18, 2018 $1,800 RESTASIS Promotional Speaking/Other ALLERGAN INC.
Oct 28, 2018 $1,500 CEQUA (CYCLOSPORINE OPHTHALMIC SOLUTION) 0.09% Honoraria SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
May 10, 2018 $1,500 BROMSITE Honoraria SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
Feb 2, 2018 $150 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other SHIRE NORTH AMERICAN GROUP INC
Oct 25, 2018 $143 CEQUA (CYCLOSPORINE OPHTHALMIC SOLUTION) 0.09% Food and Beverage SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
Dec 18, 2018 $127 RESTASIS Food and Beverage ALLERGAN INC.
Nov 27, 2018 $125 TECNIS MULTIFOCAL FAMILY OF 1-PIECE IOLS CATALYS LASER SYSTEM PHACOFRAGMENTATION ACCESSORIES HEALON VISCOELASTICS Food and Beverage JOHNSON & JOHNSON SURGICAL VISION, INC.
Oct 27, 2018 $118 WHITESTART PHACOEMULSFICIATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage JOHNSON & JOHNSON SURGICAL VISION, INC.
Mar 2, 2018 $110 EYLEA Food and Beverage REGENERON HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Mar 24, 2018 $107 WHITESTART PHACOEMULSFICIATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage JOHNSON & JOHNSON SURGICAL VISION, INC.
Apr 4, 2018 $102 LOTEMAX Food and Beverage BAUSCH & LOMB, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC
Apr 30, 2018 $102 CATALYS LASER SYSTEM Food and Beverage JOHNSON & JOHNSON SURGICAL VISION, INC.
May 10, 2018 $80 BROMSITE Food and Beverage SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
Sep 26, 2018 $56 RESTASIS Food and Beverage ALLERGAN INC.
Oct 26, 2018 $49 No Listed Product Food and Beverage JOHNSON & JOHNSON SURGICAL VISION, INC.
Oct 28, 2018 $43 CEQUA (CYCLOSPORINE OPHTHALMIC SOLUTION) 0.09% Food and Beverage SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC.
May 1, 2018 $40 CATALYS LASER SYSTEM WHITESTART PHACOEMULSFICIATION SYSTEM TECNIS MULTIFOCAL FAMILY OF 1-PIECE IOLS Food and Beverage JOHNSON & JOHNSON SURGICAL VISION, INC.
Apr 4, 2018 $25 LUMIGAN Food and Beverage ALLERGAN 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/293117

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.