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/329223
  • 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/329223
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.


ALI MALEK

Listed Specialty: Neurological Surgery
901 VILLAGE BLVD, STE 702, WEST PALM BEACH, FL, 33409-1947

2018 Payments: At a Glance

32

payments

$3,411

payment total

8

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Travel and Lodging
8 $1,994
Food and Beverage
24 $1,417

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
SOFIA

device

$1,761
LVIS

device

$1,267
ARTEMIS

device

$888
SCEPTER XC BALLOON CATHETER

device

$775
HYDROSOFT COIL

device

$746
SCEPTER C BALLOON CATHETER

device

$730
HYDROFILL COIL

device

$700
HYDROSOFT 3D COIL

device

$395
HYDROFRAME COIL

device

$327
WATCHMAN

device

$185
ATLAS

device

$151
LVIS JR.

device

$149
3D REVASCULARIZATION

device

$128
APTIOM

drug

$125
WEB

device

$99
FRED

device

$70
FRED JR

device

$70
PHIL

device

$70
KYPHON BALLOON KYPHOPLASTY

device

$67
SPECTRA GALAXY G3 MIN

device

$40
† 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/329223

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Feb 4, 2018 $698 ARTEMIS Travel and Lodging PENUMBRA, INC.
Oct 3, 2018 $522 HYDROFILL COIL LVIS SCEPTER C BALLOON CATHETER SOFIA Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, INC.
Oct 3, 2018 $307 SOFIA LVIS SCEPTER XC BALLOON CATHETER HYDROSOFT COIL Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, INC.
Oct 25, 2018 $219 SOFIA SCEPTER XC BALLOON CATHETER LVIS HYDROSOFT COIL Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, INC.
Feb 4, 2018 $190 ARTEMIS Food and Beverage PENUMBRA, INC.
Oct 26, 2018 $149 SOFIA LVIS HYDROSOFT COIL SCEPTER XC BALLOON CATHETER Food and Beverage MICROVENTION, INC.
Mar 28, 2018 $149 HYDROFRAME COIL HYDROSOFT 3D COIL LVIS JR. SOFIA Food and Beverage MICROVENTION, INC.
Dec 3, 2018 $135 SOFIA SCEPTER C BALLOON CATHETER HYDROFILL COIL HYDROFRAME COIL HYDROSOFT 3D COIL Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, INC.
Oct 18, 2018 $125 APTIOM Food and Beverage SUNOVION PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Apr 2, 2018 $102 ATLAS Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Jun 7, 2018 $101 WATCHMAN Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Mar 17, 2018 $100 3D REVASCULARIZATION Food and Beverage PENUMBRA, INC.
Apr 12, 2018 $85 WATCHMAN Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Oct 25, 2018 $68 HYDROSOFT 3D COIL SOFIA Food and Beverage MICROVENTION, INC.
Nov 13, 2018 $67 KYPHON BALLOON KYPHOPLASTY Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Dec 3, 2018 $55 PHIL FRED FRED JR SOFIA WEB Food and Beverage MICROVENTION, INC.
Dec 3, 2018 $44 SOFIA SCEPTER C BALLOON CATHETER HYDROFILL COIL HYDROFRAME COIL HYDROSOFT 3D COIL Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, INC.
May 23, 2018 $40 SPECTRA GALAXY G3 MIN Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
Oct 3, 2018 $35 LVIS SOFIA HYDROSOFT COIL SCEPTER XC BALLOON CATHETER Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, INC.
Oct 3, 2018 $35 HYDROSOFT COIL LVIS SCEPTER XC BALLOON CATHETER SOFIA Travel and Lodging MICROVENTION, 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/329223

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.