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/319134
  • 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/319134
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.

JOHN WATSON

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
3635 VISTA, ST LOUIS, MO, 63110

2018 Payments: At a Glance

106

payments

$180,496

payment total

5

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Royalty or License
 22 $105K
Consulting
 28 $45,075
Promotional Speaking/Other
 3 $21,875
Travel and Lodging
 29 $6,046
Food and Beverage
 23 $1,804
Accredited Training
 1 $500

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†
JET-X

device

 $86,431
TAYLOR SPATIAL FRAME

device

 $25,668
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $19,882
VERSANAIL

device

 $15,021
PRECICE

device

 $12,865
ILIZAROV SYSTEM

device

 $9,206
EXOGEN

device

 $4,316
UNYTE

device

 $3,803
ALPS PLATES AND INSTRUMENTS

device

 $3,625
CABLE READY CABLE GRIP

device

 $3,625
CANNULATED SCREW

device

 $3,625
AFFIXUS

device

 $3,564
EVOS

device

 $2,571
MAGEC

device

 $1,500
PERI-LOC

device

 $546
NCB INSTRUMENTS/PLATES/SCREWS

device

 $500
BONE DRILLS

device

 $103
ALPS PROX TIB PLATES

device

 $99
TRAUMA PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

device

 $43
TRIGEN META-NAIL

device

 $17
† 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 8, 2018 $46,842 JET-X Royalty or License SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Feb 7, 2018 $28,472 JET-X Royalty or License SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Feb 6, 2018 $12,750 TAYLOR SPATIAL FRAME Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Aug 8, 2018 $8,420 JET-X Royalty or License SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Oct 24, 2018 $8,125 ILIZAROV SYSTEM TAYLOR SPATIAL FRAME Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Oct 19, 2018 $7,000 No Listed Product Consulting SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Feb 7, 2018 $4,200 EXOGEN Consulting BIOVENTUS LLC
Apr 3, 2018 $3,500 AFFIXUS Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Feb 7, 2018 $2,638 JET-X Royalty or License SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Nov 13, 2018 $2,000 No Listed Product Consulting NUVASIVE SPECIALIZED ORTHOPEDICS, INC.
Mar 19, 2018 $2,000 ALPS PLATES AND INSTRUMENTS CABLE READY CABLE GRIP CANNULATED SCREW Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
May 16, 2018 $1,925 VERSANAIL Royalty or License ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
May 16, 2018 $1,741 VERSANAIL Royalty or License ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Mar 19, 2018 $1,625 CABLE READY CABLE GRIP CANNULATED SCREW ALPS PLATES AND INSTRUMENTS Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Mar 9, 2018 $1,555 VERSANAIL Royalty or License ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Apr 30, 2018 $1,500 PRECICE Consulting NUVASIVE SPECIALIZED ORTHOPEDICS, INC.
May 31, 2018 $1,500 PRECICE Consulting NUVASIVE SPECIALIZED ORTHOPEDICS, INC.
Jul 31, 2018 $1,500 PRECICE Consulting NUVASIVE SPECIALIZED ORTHOPEDICS, INC.
Sep 28, 2018 $1,500 PRECICE Consulting NUVASIVE SPECIALIZED ORTHOPEDICS, INC.
Aug 31, 2018 $1,500 PRECICE Consulting NUVASIVE SPECIALIZED ORTHOPEDICS, 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/319134

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.