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/363232
  • 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/363232
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.

GEORGE NASSER

Listed Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease
17198 ST LUKES WAY STE 610, THE WOODLANDS, TX, 77384-8015

2018 Payments: At a Glance

138

payments

$5,357

payment total

24

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 134 $4,010
Travel and Lodging
 4 $1,347

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†
ASAHI FIELDER CORONARY GUIDE WIRE

device

 $1,371
NC TREK CORONARY CATHETERS

device

 $1,371
XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM

device

 $1,371
HI-TORQUE CORONARY GUIDE WIRE

device

 $1,371
REPATHA

drug

 $394
CLARIVEIN

device

 $385
ASSURITY PACEMAKER

device

 $273
ELIQUIS

drug

 $245
CONFIRM RX

device

 $232
ALLURE QUADRA RF CRT PACEMAKER

device

 $228
XARELTO

drug

 $214
PRALUENT

drug

 $203
QUARTET CRT LEAD

device

 $200
QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR

device

 $174
ENTRESTO

drug

 $172
AMPLATZER VASCULAR PLUG AND ACCS

device

 $161
CRT-DS

device

 $134
EKOSONIC

device

 $129
MRI READY LEADS

device

 $109
CORLANOR

drug

 $104
† 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/363232

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Dec 12, 2018 $559 ASAHI FIELDER CORONARY GUIDE WIRE HI-TORQUE CORONARY GUIDE WIRE NC TREK CORONARY CATHETERS XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Dec 12, 2018 $494 ASAHI FIELDER CORONARY GUIDE WIRE HI-TORQUE CORONARY GUIDE WIRE NC TREK CORONARY CATHETERS XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Dec 12, 2018 $286 ASAHI FIELDER CORONARY GUIDE WIRE HI-TORQUE CORONARY GUIDE WIRE NC TREK CORONARY CATHETERS XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM Travel and Lodging ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jun 28, 2018 $179 QUARTET CRT LEAD Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Aug 2, 2018 $179 ALLURE QUADRA RF CRT PACEMAKER Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 21, 2018 $174 QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 30, 2018 $169 CONFIRM RX Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jul 16, 2018 $161 AMPLATZER VASCULAR PLUG AND ACCS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Aug 30, 2018 $129 EKOSONIC Food and Beverage EKOS CORPORATION
Sep 21, 2018 $125 CLARIVEIN Food and Beverage VASCULAR INSIGHTS, LLC
Sep 21, 2018 $125 CLARIVEIN Food and Beverage VASCULAR INSIGHTS, LLC
Sep 24, 2018 $112 ASSURITY PACEMAKER Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jan 9, 2018 $109 MRI READY LEADS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Nov 28, 2018 $108 PRALUENT Food and Beverage REGENERON PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Jun 18, 2018 $103 ASSURITY PACEMAKER Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jan 18, 2018 $100 REPATHA Food and Beverage AMGEN INC.
Aug 27, 2018 $94 UNIFY ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Feb 1, 2018 $90 PACEMAKERS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Mar 12, 2018 $86 CRT-DS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jan 18, 2018 $67 VISIA AF Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, 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/363232

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.