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/4225010
  • 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/4225010
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.

MICHAEL SCARBROUGH

Listed Specialty: Pain Medicine
193 MARKET ST, APT. 301, MEMPHIS, TN, 38105-3535

2018 Payments: At a Glance

63

payments

$10,335

payment total

12

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Grant
 1 $7,500
Food and Beverage
 58 $1,889
Travel and Lodging
 4 $947

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†
SYNCHROMED

device

 $7,517
SPECTRA WAVEWRITER

device

 $672
RESTORE

device

 $413
INTELLIS

device

 $340
GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT

device

 $300
SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM

device

 $173
PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

 $168
LYRICA

drug

 $140
ALGOVITA

device

 $129
FIXATE

device

 $106
SPECTRA WAVEWRITER (REFURBISHED)

device

 $100
PRIALT

drug

 $65
MILD DEVICE KIT

device

 $61
SPRINT PNS SYSTEM

device

 $60
INFINION

device

 $28
FLECTOR PATCH

drug

 $26
EMBEDA

drug

 $24
MONOVISC

device

 $15
ORTHOVISC

device

 $15
BUNAVAIL

drug

 $15
† 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/4225010

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 23, 2018 $7,500 SYNCHROMED Grant MEDTRONIC USA, INC. Sceptor Pain Foundation
Nov 2, 2018 $413 RESTORE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Nov 9, 2018 $259 SPECTRA WAVEWRITER Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Nov 10, 2018 $252 SPECTRA WAVEWRITER Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Nov 3, 2018 $170 INTELLIS Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Aug 27, 2018 $168 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 10, 2018 $144 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage NEVRO CORP.
Oct 8, 2018 $129 ALGOVITA Food and Beverage NUVECTRA CORPORATION
Nov 9, 2018 $123 GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Nov 3, 2018 $105 INTELLIS Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Sep 18, 2018 $100 SPECTRA WAVEWRITER (REFURBISHED) Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Dec 12, 2018 $71 LYRICA Food and Beverage PFIZER INC.
Sep 10, 2018 $65 PRIALT Food and Beverage JAZZ PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Nov 14, 2018 $60 SPRINT PNS SYSTEM Food and Beverage SPR THERAPEUTICS, INC
Nov 10, 2018 $57 GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Oct 24, 2018 $40 MILD DEVICE KIT Food and Beverage VERTOS MEDICAL, INC.
Nov 9, 2018 $36 GENERAL PAIN MANAGEMENT Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Nov 3, 2018 $35 INTELLIS Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Nov 3, 2018 $30 INTELLIS Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Oct 30, 2018 $29 SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM Food and Beverage NEVRO CORP.

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/4225010

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.