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/305128
  • 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/305128
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.

MARTIN BERGMAN

Listed Specialty: Rheumatology
8 MORTON AVE, SUITE 304, RIDLEY PARK, PA, 19078-2210

2018 Payments: At a Glance

192

payments

$113,911

payment total

19

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 13 $59,303
Promotional Speaking/Other
 20 $40,592
Travel and Lodging
 29 $8,898
Food and Beverage
 127 $4,109
Honoraria
 1 $990
Education
 2 $18

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

 $29,613
XELJANZ

drug

 $28,772
OTEZLA

drug

 $13,966
HUMIRA

drug

 $10,084
KEVZARA

drug

 $8,269
ERELZI

drug

 $6,915
RENFLEXIS

drug

 $6,099
COSENTYX

drug

 $5,900
ORENCIA

drug

 $2,422
OFEV

drug

 $780
ENBREL

drug

 $238
STELARA

drug

 $216
TALTZ

drug

 $168
SIMPONI ARIA

drug

 $167
CIMZIA

drug

 $166
BENLYSTA

drug

 $136
ACTEMRA

drug

 $87
RITUXAN

drug

 $87
PROLIA

drug

 $45
SIMPONI

drug

 $33
† 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/305128

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Apr 23, 2018 $24,300 XELJANZ Consulting PFIZER INC.
Jul 13, 2018 $6,375 HUMIRA Consulting ABBVIE, INC.
Oct 19, 2018 $6,060 ERELZI Consulting SANDOZ INC.
Jun 28, 2018 $4,883 KEVZARA Consulting GENZYME CORPORATION
Jul 11, 2018 $4,250 No Listed Product Consulting ABBVIE, INC.
Mar 5, 2018 $4,040 COSENTYX Promotional Speaking/Other NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Feb 21, 2018 $3,785 No Listed Product Consulting BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
May 21, 2018 $3,600 XELJANZ Consulting PFIZER INC.
Jul 2, 2018 $2,975 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other ABBVIE, INC.
Feb 13, 2018 $2,878 OTEZLA Promotional Speaking/Other CELGENE CORPORATION
Jul 19, 2018 $2,878 OTEZLA Promotional Speaking/Other CELGENE CORPORATION
Oct 17, 2018 $2,878 OTEZLA Promotional Speaking/Other CELGENE CORPORATION
Mar 27, 2018 $2,878 OTEZLA Promotional Speaking/Other CELGENE CORPORATION
Jul 30, 2018 $2,625 RENFLEXIS Promotional Speaking/Other MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION
May 16, 2018 $2,625 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION
Mar 5, 2018 $2,525 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Jan 11, 2018 $2,525 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Oct 17, 2018 $2,400 No Listed Product Consulting UCB, INC. Martin Bergman
Jul 3, 2018 $2,125 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other ABBVIE, INC.
Feb 26, 2018 $2,125 HUMIRA Promotional Speaking/Other ABBVIE, 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/305128

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.