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/4640
  • 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/4640
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.

CHRISTOPHER RITTER

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
462 GRIDER ST, BUFFALO, NY, 14215-3021

2018 Payments: At a Glance

41

payments

$6,052

payment total

10

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 2 $2,000
Food and Beverage
 36 $1,928
Consulting
 1 $1,185
Travel and Lodging
 2 $939

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†
CADENCE ANKLE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM

device

 $2,016
PANTA NAIL

device

 $2,016
SALTO TALARIS TOTAL ANKLE PROSTHESIS

device

 $2,016
TAYLOR SPATIAL FRAME

device

 $1,457
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $1,348
TOTAL FOOT SYSTEM

device

 $1,016
EXTERNAL FIXATION SYSTEM

device

 $1,000
TRIGEN INTERTAN

device

 $260
TRABECULAR METAL (TM) ANKLE

device

 $145
BME NITINOL CONTINUOUS COMPRESSION IMPLANTS

device

 $132
EVOS

device

 $131
SURGICAL PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

device

 $125
ILIZAROV SYSTEM

device

 $114
NEXTREMITY NEXTRA HAMMERTOE

device

 $113
KNEE CREATIONS BRAND

device

 $75
ACTIS

device

 $59
ATTUNE

device

 $59
TFN ADVANCED

device

 $59
REGENETEN

device

 $58
TRIGEN SURESHOT

device

 $45
† 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/4640

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Sep 20, 2018 $1,185 No Listed Product Consulting MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Apr 13, 2018 $1,000 CADENCE ANKLE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM PANTA NAIL SALTO TALARIS TOTAL ANKLE PROSTHESIS EXTERNAL FIXATION SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Sep 21, 2018 $1,000 SALTO TALARIS TOTAL ANKLE PROSTHESIS PANTA NAIL TOTAL FOOT SYSTEM CADENCE ANKLE REPLACEMENT SYSTEM Promotional Speaking/Other INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Nov 4, 2018 $633 TAYLOR SPATIAL FRAME Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Nov 1, 2018 $306 TAYLOR SPATIAL FRAME Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Jun 7, 2018 $136 TRIGEN INTERTAN Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Mar 20, 2018 $131 EVOS Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Jul 12, 2018 $125 SURGICAL PRODUCT PORTFOLIO Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Jun 28, 2018 $114 ILIZAROV SYSTEM TAYLOR SPATIAL FRAME Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Nov 3, 2018 $99 TAYLOR SPATIAL FRAME Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
May 25, 2018 $97 TRABECULAR METAL (TM) ANKLE Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Nov 3, 2018 $91 TAYLOR SPATIAL FRAME Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Dec 5, 2018 $87 TRIGEN INTERTAN Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
May 3, 2018 $78 NEXTREMITY NEXTRA HAMMERTOE Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Nov 2, 2018 $77 TAYLOR SPATIAL FRAME Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Nov 2, 2018 $76 TAYLOR SPATIAL FRAME Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Sep 21, 2018 $75 KNEE CREATIONS BRAND Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Mar 15, 2018 $73 BME NITINOL CONTINUOUS COMPRESSION IMPLANTS Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
Dec 6, 2018 $72 No Listed Product Food and Beverage NEXTREMITY SOLUTIONS INC.
Jun 1, 2018 $59 ATTUNE TFN ADVANCED BME NITINOL CONTINUOUS COMPRESSION IMPLANTS ACTIS Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES 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/4640

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.