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/34234
  • 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/34234
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.

VINCENT AQUINO

Listed Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease
17350 ST LUKES WAY, SUITE 400, THE WOODLANDS, TX, 77384-4100

2018 Payments: At a Glance

59

payments

$17,346

payment total

8

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 5 $11,925
Food and Beverage
 51 $2,678
Consulting
 1 $2,650
Travel and Lodging
 1 $87
Education
 1 $5

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†
ENTRESTO

drug

 $12,543
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $3,565
PACEMAKERS

device

 $214
PACING LEADS

device

 $168
ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM

device

 $152
IMPELLA

device

 $142
MERLIN CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE

device

 $138
CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE CARE

device

 $121
FOX SV PTA CATHETER AND ARMADA 14 PERCUTANEOUS CATHETER AND VIATRAC 14 PLUS PERIPHERAL CATHETER

device

 $82
HERCULINK ELITE RENAL AND BILIARY STENT SYSTEM

device

 $82
HI-TORQUE SPARTACORE GUIDE WIRES

device

 $82
OMNILINK ELITE VASCULAR STENT SYSTEM

device

 $82
SUPERA PERIPHERAL STENT SYSTEM

device

 $82
VISIA AF

device

 $67
ICD LEADS

device

 $55
XARELTO

drug

 $45
FLEXABILITY ABLATION CATHETER

device

 $18
CONFIRM RX

device

 $13
VELTASSA

drug

 $12
PRALUENT

drug

 $11
† 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
Sep 25, 2018 $2,650 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Apr 10, 2018 $2,650 ENTRESTO Promotional Speaking/Other NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Sep 19, 2018 $2,650 ENTRESTO Promotional Speaking/Other NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
May 17, 2018 $2,650 ENTRESTO Consulting NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Jun 27, 2018 $2,650 ENTRESTO Promotional Speaking/Other NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Apr 19, 2018 $1,325 ENTRESTO Promotional Speaking/Other NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Jan 24, 2018 $180 PACEMAKERS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Apr 15, 2018 $172 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Jan 16, 2018 $168 PACING LEADS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 20, 2018 $157 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Sep 4, 2018 $153 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Jul 17, 2018 $152 ENSITE CARDIAC MAPPING SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jun 4, 2018 $142 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
Sep 24, 2018 $128 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Sep 19, 2018 $126 ENTRESTO Food and Beverage NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Jul 30, 2018 $123 MERLIN CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jun 27, 2018 $122 ENTRESTO Food and Beverage NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Jan 11, 2018 $121 CONNECTIVITY AND REMOTE CARE Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Dec 10, 2018 $112 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Apr 2, 2018 $108 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK 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/34234

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.