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/32642
  • 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/32642
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.


CHRISTOPHER O'CARROLL

Listed Specialty: Neurology
3900 W COAST HWY, SUITE 330, NEWPORT BEACH, CA, 92663-4091

2018 Payments: At a Glance

416

payments

$183,039

payment total

33

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
76 $147K
Travel and Lodging
50 $13,189
Consulting
5 $11,328
Food and Beverage
284 $8,476
Nonaccredited Training
1 $3,015

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
AIMOVIG

drug

$62,880
TRINTELLIX

drug

$23,865
AJOVY

drug

$23,253
BELSOMRA

drug

$18,882
BOTOX

drug

$13,083
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$9,602
TROKENDI XR

drug

$9,244
ZEMBRACE

drug

$7,784
GRALISE

drug

$5,261
MIGRANAL

drug

$4,233
ONZETRA XSAIL

drug

$3,115
MORPHABOND ER

drug

$205
TECFIDERA

drug

$165
TYSABRI

drug

$162
COPAXONE

drug

$162
SOLIRIS

drug

$160
XTAMPZA

drug

$125
NASCOBAL

drug

$123
QUDEXY XR TOPIRAMATE EXTENDED RELEASE CAPSULES

drug

$113
PLEGRIDY

drug

$103
† 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/32642

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Mar 5, 2018 $8,000 TROKENDI XR Promotional Speaking/Other SUPERNUS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Feb 23, 2018 $4,000 ZEMBRACE Consulting PROMIUS PHARMA LLC
May 22, 2018 $3,600 AIMOVIG Promotional Speaking/Other AMGEN INC. NEURO MULTIMEDIA INC
Nov 17, 2018 $3,128 AJOVY Consulting TEVA PHARMACEUTICALS USA, INC.
Apr 10, 2018 $3,015 MIGRANAL Nonaccredited Training VALEANT PHARMACEUTICALS NORTH AMERICA LLC
Mar 13, 2018 $3,000 BOTOX Promotional Speaking/Other ALLERGAN INC.
Apr 10, 2018 $3,000 ZEMBRACE Promotional Speaking/Other PROMIUS PHARMA LLC
Apr 2, 2018 $3,000 BOTOX Consulting ALLERGAN INC.
Apr 27, 2018 $3,000 BOTOX Promotional Speaking/Other ALLERGAN INC.
Jan 30, 2018 $2,500 BELSOMRA Promotional Speaking/Other MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION NEURO MULTIMEDIA, INC
Nov 15, 2018 $2,500 AJOVY Promotional Speaking/Other TEVA PHARMACEUTICALS USA, INC.
Nov 28, 2018 $2,500 AJOVY Promotional Speaking/Other TEVA PHARMACEUTICALS USA, INC.
Nov 15, 2018 $2,500 AJOVY Promotional Speaking/Other TEVA PHARMACEUTICALS USA, INC.
May 21, 2018 $2,500 BELSOMRA Promotional Speaking/Other MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION NEURO MULTIMEDIA, INC
Dec 21, 2018 $2,500 AJOVY Promotional Speaking/Other TEVA PHARMACEUTICALS USA, INC.
Jan 30, 2018 $2,500 BELSOMRA Promotional Speaking/Other MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION NEURO MULTIMEDIA, INC
Mar 5, 2018 $2,500 BELSOMRA Promotional Speaking/Other MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION NEURO MULTIMEDIA, INC
Apr 7, 2018 $2,500 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other TEVA PHARMACEUTICALS USA, INC.
May 21, 2018 $2,500 BELSOMRA Promotional Speaking/Other MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION NEURO MULTIMEDIA, INC
Dec 6, 2018 $2,500 AJOVY Promotional Speaking/Other TEVA PHARMACEUTICALS USA, 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/32642

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.