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/303590
  • 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/303590
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.

GEORGE JOSEPH

Listed Specialty: Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology
5170 US RT 60 EAST, HUNTINGTON, WV, 25705

2018 Payments: At a Glance

237

payments

$20,000

payment total

18

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 7 $11,400
Food and Beverage
 218 $3,558
Honoraria
 2 $2,588
Travel and Lodging
 8 $1,986
Education
 2 $468

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†
XARELTO

drug

 $11,595
NORTHERA

drug

 $2,833
LIFEVEST

device

 $1,813
MICRA

device

 $1,144
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $836
ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM

device

 $379
ENTRESTO

drug

 $257
ADAPTA

device

 $240
PRADAXA

drug

 $106
JARDIANCE

drug

 $103
REPATHA

drug

 $97
SELECTSECURE

device

 $76
ELIQUIS

drug

 $73
INVOKANA

drug

 $53
CORLANOR

drug

 $52
CARTO 3 SYSTEM

device

 $51
XIFAXAN

drug

 $49
ARCTIC FRONT

device

 $32
PRALUENT

drug

 $30
CONFIRM RX

device

 $29
† 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/303590

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jun 29, 2018 $3,300 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Apr 4, 2018 $3,300 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Nov 14, 2018 $2,100 NORTHERA Honoraria LUNDBECK LLC
Apr 16, 2018 $2,000 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Nov 14, 2018 $1,500 LIFEVEST Promotional Speaking/Other ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Oct 3, 2018 $1,000 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Apr 21, 2018 $821 XARELTO Travel and Lodging JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Jun 3, 2018 $608 MICRA Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Aug 3, 2018 $488 NORTHERA Honoraria LUNDBECK LLC
May 14, 2018 $330 ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM Education ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jun 3, 2018 $213 MICRA Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jun 3, 2018 $178 MICRA Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Nov 14, 2018 $150 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Nov 14, 2018 $150 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Mar 3, 2018 $138 No Listed Product Education BIOTRONIK INC.
Jun 29, 2018 $135 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Nov 27, 2018 $133 ADAPTA Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
May 22, 2018 $124 XARELTO Travel and Lodging JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Jul 24, 2018 $107 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Jun 3, 2018 $107 ADAPTA Food and Beverage 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/303590

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.