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/42137
  • 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/42137
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.

GARY FERGUSON

Listed Specialty: Pulmonary Disease
28815 8 MILE RD, SUITE 103, LIVONIA, MI, 48152-2052

2018 Payments: At a Glance

329

payments

$320,736

payment total

10

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 50 $143K
Consulting
 31 $104K
Travel and Lodging
 134 $64,967
Food and Beverage
 113 $6,032
Education
 1 $3,075

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†
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $90,028
LONHALA MAGNAIR

drug

 $56,771
BEVESPI AEROSPHERE

drug

 $40,566
UTIBRON

drug

 $30,436
STIOLTO RESPIMAT

drug

 $22,770
SPIRIVA RESPIMAT

drug

 $13,554
SYMBICORT

drug

 $13,264
STIOLTO

drug

 $12,540
FASENRA

drug

 $11,985
SPIRIVA

drug

 $9,073
NUCALA

drug

 $7,437
DUPIXENT

drug

 $4,667
DUAKLIR

drug

 $4,446
YUPELRI

drug

 $3,075
NIOX VERO

device

 $115
BROVANA

drug

 $16
SEEBRI

drug

 $16
OFEV

drug

 $15
ANORO

drug

 $10
† 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
Apr 5, 2018 $10,647 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging ASTRAZENECA UK LIMITED
Jul 4, 2018 $10,451 STIOLTO RESPIMAT Promotional Speaking/Other BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Feb 5, 2018 $9,508 BEVESPI AEROSPHERE Travel and Lodging ASTRAZENECA AB
Nov 15, 2018 $8,710 SPIRIVA RESPIMAT Travel and Lodging BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM INTERNATIONAL GMBH
Oct 25, 2018 $8,505 STIOLTO RESPIMAT Consulting BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. GARY T FERGUSON MD PC
Mar 23, 2018 $7,150 No Listed Product Consulting GLAXOSMITHKLINE, LLC.
Jun 29, 2018 $6,500 NUCALA Consulting GLAXOSMITHKLINE, LLC.
Apr 4, 2018 $6,230 LONHALA MAGNAIR Promotional Speaking/Other SUNOVION PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
May 16, 2018 $5,938 SYMBICORT Consulting ASTRAZENECA UK LIMITED
Jun 4, 2018 $5,850 FASENRA Consulting ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
May 17, 2018 $5,700 No Listed Product Consulting ASTRAZENECA UK LIMITED
Nov 30, 2018 $5,700 BEVESPI AEROSPHERE Consulting ASTRAZENECA UK LIMITED
Nov 30, 2018 $4,918 BEVESPI AEROSPHERE Travel and Lodging ASTRAZENECA UK LIMITED
Oct 9, 2018 $4,847 STIOLTO Promotional Speaking/Other BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Feb 25, 2018 $4,750 No Listed Product Consulting ASTRAZENECA PHARMACEUTICALS LP
May 2, 2018 $4,667 DUPIXENT Consulting SANOFI-AVENTIS U.S. LLC
Jul 25, 2018 $4,655 SPIRIVA Consulting BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. GARY T FERGUSON MD PC
Dec 6, 2018 $4,450 UTIBRON Consulting SUNOVION PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
May 17, 2018 $4,450 UTIBRON Consulting SUNOVION PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Jun 8, 2018 $4,038 No Listed Product Consulting ASTRAZENECA UK LIMITED

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/42137

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.