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/4211434
  • 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/4211434
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.

ANDREW FANOUS

Listed Specialty: Neurology
3 GATES CIR, BUFFALO, NY, 14209-1120

2018 Payments: At a Glance

95

payments

$14,328

payment total

9

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Travel and Lodging
 35 $9,858
Food and Beverage
 59 $4,160
Education
 1 $310

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†
XLIF

device

 $4,934
X-CORE

device

 $2,525
CALIBER

device

 $1,957
LESSRAY

device

 $1,542
PULSE

device

 $1,535
TRITANIUM

device

 $1,266
CD HORIZON

device

 $1,230
EXPEDIUM

device

 $920
O-ARM-SPINE

device

 $644
VIRAGE

device

 $407
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $310
CLYDESDALE

device

 $291
EXPAREL

drug

 $249
DIVERGENCE-L

device

 $236
VITALITY

device

 $235
VIPER

device

 $211
ALTERA

device

 $148
RELINE

device

 $141
EXCELSIUS - GPS

device

 $138
OSTEOCEL

device

 $131
† 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/4211434

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 16, 2018 $2,345 X-CORE XLIF Travel and Lodging NUVASIVE, INC.
Nov 16, 2018 $1,923 CALIBER Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Sep 13, 2018 $638 CD HORIZON Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Nov 19, 2018 $605 TRITANIUM Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Oct 12, 2018 $592 XLIF Travel and Lodging NUVASIVE, INC.
Oct 14, 2018 $508 XLIF PULSE LESSRAY Travel and Lodging NUVASIVE, INC.
Oct 26, 2018 $462 EXPEDIUM Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jul 20, 2018 $418 O-ARM-SPINE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Feb 21, 2018 $310 No Listed Product Education MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Sep 13, 2018 $236 CD HORIZON Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Nov 30, 2018 $234 TRITANIUM Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Oct 12, 2018 $230 LESSRAY XLIF PULSE Travel and Lodging NUVASIVE, INC.
Aug 25, 2018 $215 VIRAGE Travel and Lodging ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 12, 2018 $178 XLIF PULSE LESSRAY Travel and Lodging NUVASIVE, INC.
Oct 13, 2018 $167 PULSE Food and Beverage NUVASIVE, INC.
Sep 21, 2018 $158 VIRAGE Travel and Lodging ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Aug 13, 2018 $149 LESSRAY XLIF Food and Beverage NUVASIVE, INC.
Nov 18, 2018 $148 ALTERA Travel and Lodging GLOBUS MEDICAL, INC.
Nov 29, 2018 $145 TRITANIUM Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Oct 12, 2018 $145 X-CORE Food and Beverage NUVASIVE, 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/4211434

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.