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/347687
  • 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/347687
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.

JAMES SANDERLIN

Listed Specialty: Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
2165 MEDICAL PARK DR, HICKORY, NC, 28602-8809

2018 Payments: At a Glance

49

payments

$1,945

payment total

16

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 46 $1,638
Travel and Lodging
 3 $307

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†
INTELLIS

device

 $383
AXIUM INS DRG IPG

device

 $307
PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

 $241
SPECTRA WAVEWRITER

device

 $153
PISCES

device

 $144
SPECIFY

device

 $111
SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM

device

 $85
XTAMPZA

drug

 $70
BUNAVAIL

drug

 $67
PRODIGY FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

 $65
MORPHABOND ER

drug

 $63
BOTOX

drug

 $46
LYRICA

drug

 $37
EVZIO

drug

 $34
ARYMO ER

drug

 $29
EMBEDA

drug

 $24
OXAYDO

drug

 $22
ZOHYDRO ER

drug

 $19
HYMOVIS

device

 $17
LORZONE

drug

 $16
† 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/347687

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 22, 2018 $247 AXIUM INS DRG IPG Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Mar 15, 2018 $144 PISCES Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jun 5, 2018 $127 INTELLIS Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Aug 29, 2018 $124 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Apr 10, 2018 $120 INTELLIS Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jan 22, 2018 $111 SPECIFY Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Nov 13, 2018 $103 INTELLIS Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jul 11, 2018 $85 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage NEVRO CORP.
Jul 2, 2018 $81 SPECTRA WAVEWRITER Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Nov 19, 2018 $72 SPECTRA WAVEWRITER Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Aug 22, 2018 $65 PRODIGY FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 3, 2018 $52 AXIUM INS DRG IPG Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 21, 2018 $51 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Aug 23, 2018 $49 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 13, 2018 $34 INTELLIS Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Aug 21, 2018 $21 BUNAVAIL Food and Beverage BIODELIVERY SCIENCES INTERNATIONAL, INC.
May 29, 2018 $19 ZOHYDRO ER Food and Beverage PERNIX THERAPEUTICS HOLDINGS, INC.
Jun 13, 2018 $19 MORPHABOND ER Food and Beverage DAIICHI SANKYO INC.
May 4, 2018 $18 BOTOX Food and Beverage ALLERGAN INC.
Jun 5, 2018 $17 BUNAVAIL Food and Beverage BIODELIVERY SCIENCES INTERNATIONAL, 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/347687

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.