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/330699
  • 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/330699
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 LESAR

Listed Specialty: Vascular & Interventional Radiology
6031 SHALLOWFORD RD, SUITE 117, CHATTANOOGA, TN, 37421-1983

2018 Payments: At a Glance

66

payments

$48,130

payment total

13

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Nonaccredited Training
 8 $20,250
Consulting
 8 $18,875
Honoraria
 2 $6,400
Food and Beverage
 47 $2,323
Travel and Lodging
 1 $283

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†
PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

 $21,345
IVUS SYSTEMS

device

 $16,400
GLIDESHEATH

device

 $4,900
GLIDEWIRE

device

 $4,900
NAVICROSS

device

 $4,900
PHOENIX CATHETER SYSTEM

device

 $3,200
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $783
CORONARY ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

 $625
IGT_D PERIPHERAL

device

 $217
GENERAL THERAPIES

device

 $186
VIABAHN ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $176
APLIGRAF

drug

 $125
DERMAGRAFT

device

 $125
PURAPLY/AFFINITY/NUTECH

device

 $125
OVATION

device

 $117
IMAGE GUIDED THERAPY DEVICES _ PERIPHERAL

device

 $96
PERCLOSE PROGLIDE SUTURE MEDIATED CLOSURE SYSTEM

device

 $76
PROSTAR XL SURGICAL SYSTEM

device

 $76
STARCLOSE SE VASCULAR CLOSURE SYSTEM

device

 $76
SPECTRANETICS UNDIV

device

 $70
† 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/330699

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Dec 5, 2018 $4,900 NAVICROSS GLIDESHEATH GLIDEWIRE Consulting TERUMO MEDICAL CORPORATION
Aug 9, 2018 $4,200 PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Nonaccredited Training CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Sep 6, 2018 $4,200 PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Nonaccredited Training CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Aug 3, 2018 $3,200 IVUS SYSTEMS Honoraria PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
May 3, 2018 $3,200 IVUS SYSTEMS Consulting PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Aug 3, 2018 $3,200 IVUS SYSTEMS Consulting PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Dec 28, 2018 $3,200 PHOENIX CATHETER SYSTEM Consulting PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Jun 29, 2018 $3,200 IVUS SYSTEMS Honoraria PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Jul 6, 2018 $3,200 IVUS SYSTEMS Consulting PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Nov 15, 2018 $2,800 PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Nonaccredited Training CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Dec 20, 2018 $2,800 PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Nonaccredited Training CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Mar 22, 2018 $2,000 PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Nonaccredited Training CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Jan 25, 2018 $2,000 PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Nonaccredited Training CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
May 31, 2018 $2,000 PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Nonaccredited Training CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
May 1, 2018 $400 No Listed Product Consulting CARDINAL HEALTH 200, LLC
Aug 9, 2018 $400 IVUS SYSTEMS Consulting PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Aug 23, 2018 $375 CORONARY ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Consulting CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Oct 25, 2018 $283 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging TERUMO MEDICAL CORPORATION
Jul 26, 2018 $250 CORONARY ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Nonaccredited Training CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Aug 9, 2018 $185 PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Food and Beverage CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS 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/330699

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.