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/322123
  • 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/322123
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.

VIKRAM UDANI

Listed Specialty: Neurological Surgery
2100 5TH AVE, SUITE 200, SAN DIEGO, CA, 92101-2102

2018 Payments: At a Glance

48

payments

$118,961

payment total

14

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Royalty or License
 4 $84,563
Consulting
 21 $29,550
Nonaccredited Training
 1 $3,675
Food and Beverage
 22 $1,173

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†
QUARTEX

device

 $84,563
VAULT C

device

 $6,500
REFORM MIDLINE CORTICAL SCREW SYSTEM

device

 $6,000
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $4,515
VAULT C ACDF

device

 $4,000
POCT SYSTEM

device

 $3,500
REFORM POCT SYSTEM

device

 $2,500
CMF-OTHER

device

 $2,500
VAULT ALIF SYSTEM

device

 $1,500
REFORM TI

device

 $1,000
REFORM MODULAR SCREW SYSTEM

device

 $1,000
VAULT ALIF

device

 $1,000
REFORM POCT

device

 $1,000
REFORM MODULAR PEDICLE SCREW HYBRID SYSTEM

device

 $500
REFORM TI MODULAR

device

 $500
INTELLIS

device

 $166
SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM

device

 $140
NEURO-AUTODRIVER

device

 $122
COFLEX

device

 $82
ACTIVL ARTIFICIAL DISC

device

 $80
† 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/322123

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Dec 31, 2018 $23,533 QUARTEX Royalty or License GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Sep 30, 2018 $21,902 QUARTEX Royalty or License GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Jun 30, 2018 $19,723 QUARTEX Royalty or License GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Mar 31, 2018 $19,405 QUARTEX Royalty or License GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Oct 23, 2018 $3,675 No Listed Product Nonaccredited Training MIZUHO AMERICA, INC.
Jan 10, 2018 $3,500 POCT SYSTEM Consulting PRECISION SPINE, INC.
Apr 11, 2018 $2,500 REFORM POCT SYSTEM Consulting PRECISION SPINE, INC.
Aug 16, 2018 $2,500 REFORM MIDLINE CORTICAL SCREW SYSTEM Consulting PRECISION SPINE, INC.
Jan 10, 2018 $2,500 VAULT C Consulting PRECISION SPINE, INC.
May 31, 2018 $2,000 VAULT C ACDF Consulting PRECISION SPINE, INC.
Aug 16, 2018 $2,000 REFORM MIDLINE CORTICAL SCREW SYSTEM Consulting PRECISION SPINE, INC.
May 31, 2018 $2,000 VAULT C ACDF Consulting PRECISION SPINE, INC.
Apr 11, 2018 $2,000 VAULT C Consulting PRECISION SPINE, INC.
Mar 5, 2018 $1,500 CMF-OTHER Consulting OSTEOMED LLC
Aug 23, 2018 $1,500 REFORM MIDLINE CORTICAL SCREW SYSTEM VAULT ALIF SYSTEM Consulting PRECISION SPINE, INC.
Apr 11, 2018 $1,000 REFORM MODULAR SCREW SYSTEM VAULT ALIF Consulting PRECISION SPINE, INC.
Feb 9, 2018 $1,000 REFORM POCT Consulting PRECISION SPINE, INC.
Mar 5, 2018 $1,000 CMF-OTHER Consulting OSTEOMED LLC
Mar 9, 2018 $1,000 VAULT C Consulting PRECISION SPINE, INC.
Sep 7, 2018 $550 No Listed Product Consulting NEXXT SPINE LLC

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/322123

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.