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/406
  • 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/406
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.

JACOB TOWNSEND

Listed Specialty: Interventional Cardiology
100 PILOT MEDICAL DR, SUITE 300, BIRMINGHAM, AL, 35235-3411

2018 Payments: At a Glance

104

payments

$22,482

payment total

24

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 8 $13,000
Promotional Speaking/Other
 1 $3,000
Travel and Lodging
 10 $2,510
Nonaccredited Training
 1 $2,000
Food and Beverage
 84 $1,972

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†
AFX

device

 $13,972
HAWKONE

device

 $4,635
PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM

device

 $2,842
OVATION

device

 $300
IMPELLA

device

 $135
REPATHA

drug

 $86
PRALUENT

drug

 $76
IGT_D PERIPHERAL

device

 $75
IN.PACT ADMIRAL

device

 $51
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $50
ELIQUIS

drug

 $39
STELLAREX

device

 $38
NORTHERA

drug

 $37
IGT_D CORONARY

device

 $27
COOK MEDICAL ZILVER PTX

device

 $27
LIFEVEST

device

 $26
EDWARDS SAPIEN 3 TRANSCATHETER HEART VALVE

device

 $26
BRILINTA

drug

 $25
INNOVA

device

 $23
CROSSER

device

 $22
† 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/406

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 24, 2018 $3,000 HAWKONE Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
May 18, 2018 $2,600 AFX Consulting ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Sep 13, 2018 $2,000 PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Nonaccredited Training CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Apr 5, 2018 $1,800 AFX Consulting ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Jun 18, 2018 $1,800 AFX Consulting ENDOLOGIX, INC.
May 10, 2018 $1,500 AFX Consulting ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Jun 18, 2018 $1,500 AFX Consulting ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Apr 5, 2018 $1,400 AFX Consulting ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Jun 18, 2018 $1,400 AFX Consulting ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Jan 4, 2018 $1,000 AFX Consulting ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Oct 11, 2018 $889 HAWKONE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 7, 2018 $523 PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Travel and Lodging CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Oct 12, 2018 $292 HAWKONE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 12, 2018 $201 HAWKONE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Sep 6, 2018 $176 AFX OVATION Food and Beverage ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Apr 21, 2018 $173 AFX Travel and Lodging ENDOLOGIX, INC.
May 18, 2018 $137 AFX Travel and Lodging ENDOLOGIX, INC.
Apr 16, 2018 $137 PERIPHERAL ORBITAL ATHERECTOMY SYSTEM Travel and Lodging CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS INC.
Oct 12, 2018 $136 HAWKONE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 26, 2018 $135 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED

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/406

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.