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/307376
  • 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/307376
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.


FAHEEM SANDHU

Listed Specialty: Neurological Surgery
10401 HOSPITAL DR, STE 101, CLINTON, MD, 20735-3150

2018 Payments: At a Glance

95

payments

$164,257

payment total

19

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Royalty or License
14 $96,524
Consulting
17 $41,663
Promotional Speaking/Other
2 $12,700
Travel and Lodging
21 $8,256
Food and Beverage
39 $3,053
Honoraria
1 $2,000
Gift
1 $60

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
COALITION MIS

device

$38,560
ALEUTIAN INTERBODY SYSTEMS

device

$27,285
CASCADIA INTERBODY SYSTEM

device

$27,285
RAVINE LATERAL ACCESS SYSTEM

device

$14,960
ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC

device

$14,156
SCARLET AC

device

$13,940
TRYPTIK C PLATE

device

$13,940
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$10,947
ALEUTIAN LATERAL SYSTEM

device

$9,540
CASCADIA

device

$9,540
SLC EXTENDED TAB

device

$6,383
FLAREHAWK

device

$5,239
GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION

device

$4,721
CONCORDE

device

$4,710
VIPER

device

$4,690
SPINE TRUSS SYSTEM

device

$4,000
PRODISC VIVO

device

$2,563
CASPIAN SPINAL SYSTEM

device

$2,185
CAPRI CORPECTOMY CAGE SYSTEM

device

$2,000
EVEREST SPINAL SYSTEM

device

$2,000
† 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/307376

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jun 30, 2018 $10,965 COALITION MIS Royalty or License GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Nov 30, 2018 $10,700 ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC Promotional Speaking/Other AESCULAP IMPLANT SYSTEMS, LLC
Feb 28, 2018 $10,000 CASCADIA INTERBODY SYSTEM ALEUTIAN INTERBODY SYSTEMS Royalty or License K2M, INC.
Nov 14, 2018 $9,500 CASCADIA ALEUTIAN LATERAL SYSTEM Royalty or License STRYKER CORPORATION
Sep 30, 2018 $9,450 COALITION MIS Royalty or License GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Mar 31, 2018 $9,149 COALITION MIS Royalty or License GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Dec 31, 2018 $8,996 COALITION MIS Royalty or License GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
May 15, 2018 $8,552 CASCADIA INTERBODY SYSTEM ALEUTIAN INTERBODY SYSTEMS Royalty or License K2M, INC.
Aug 14, 2018 $8,174 ALEUTIAN INTERBODY SYSTEMS CASCADIA INTERBODY SYSTEM Royalty or License K2M, INC.
Aug 28, 2018 $7,488 TRYPTIK C PLATE SCARLET AC Royalty or License SPINEART SA
Jul 27, 2018 $7,000 No Listed Product Consulting SPINEART USA INC
Feb 16, 2018 $6,960 RAVINE LATERAL ACCESS SYSTEM Royalty or License K2M, INC.
Feb 28, 2018 $6,452 TRYPTIK C PLATE SCARLET AC Royalty or License SPINEART SA
Dec 21, 2018 $4,680 CONCORDE VIPER Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jul 31, 2018 $4,000 SPINE TRUSS SYSTEM Consulting 4WEB, INC.
Jul 3, 2018 $4,000 GENERAL K2M PRODUCT DISCUSSION Consulting K2M, INC.
Mar 7, 2018 $3,150 FLAREHAWK Consulting INTEGRITY IMPLANTS INC
Nov 2, 2018 $2,515 ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC Travel and Lodging AESCULAP IMPLANT SYSTEMS, LLC
Oct 22, 2018 $2,500 PRODISC VIVO Consulting CENTINEL SPINE, LLC
May 8, 2018 $2,448 SLC EXTENDED TAB Consulting PRECISION SPINE, 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/307376

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.