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/48631
  • 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/48631
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.

DAVID JOSEPHSON

Listed Specialty: Urology
8635 W 3RD ST STE 1, LOS ANGELES, CA, 90048-6102

2018 Payments: At a Glance

65

payments

$15,082

payment total

15

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 5 $11,500
Food and Beverage
 56 $2,312
Consulting
 1 $1,185
Travel and Lodging
 2 $81
Education
 1 $4

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†
ANDROGEL

drug

 $7,035
LUPRON

drug

 $5,156
ERLEADA

drug

 $1,519
AMS

device

 $409
XTANDI

drug

 $203
SPACEOAR

device

 $156
PROVENGE

drug

 $130
DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM

device

 $124
MYRBETRIQ

drug

 $116
PROLIA

drug

 $103
AXUMIN

drug

 $90
XGEVA

drug

 $80
VESICARE

drug

 $44
ZYTIGA

drug

 $41
AVEED

drug

 $36
TESTOPEL

drug

 $36
XIAFLEX

drug

 $36
NOCTIVA

drug

 $33
FIRMAGON

drug

 $31
GRAFIX & STRAVIX

drug

 $9
† 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/48631

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Oct 29, 2018 $2,500 LUPRON Promotional Speaking/Other ABBVIE, INC. David Josephson MD
Jan 2, 2018 $2,250 ANDROGEL Promotional Speaking/Other ABBVIE, INC. David Josephson MD
Mar 19, 2018 $2,250 ANDROGEL Promotional Speaking/Other ABBVIE, INC. David Josephson MD
May 7, 2018 $2,250 ANDROGEL Promotional Speaking/Other ABBVIE, INC. David Josephson MD
Aug 28, 2018 $2,250 LUPRON Promotional Speaking/Other ABBVIE, INC. David Josephson MD
Apr 11, 2018 $1,185 ERLEADA Consulting JANSSEN SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS, LLC David Josephson, MD
Jun 26, 2018 $150 AMS Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Jun 23, 2018 $146 AMS Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Feb 7, 2018 $130 PROVENGE Food and Beverage DENDREON PHARMACEUTICALS LLC
Apr 11, 2018 $125 ERLEADA Food and Beverage JANSSEN SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS, LLC David Josephson, MD
Aug 23, 2018 $125 LUPRON Food and Beverage ABBVIE, INC.
May 2, 2018 $125 ANDROGEL Food and Beverage ABBVIE, INC.
Mar 14, 2018 $120 ANDROGEL Food and Beverage ABBVIE, INC.
Oct 24, 2018 $116 LUPRON Food and Beverage ABBVIE, INC.
Nov 14, 2018 $113 AMS Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Apr 27, 2018 $112 SPACEOAR Food and Beverage AUGMENIX, INC.
Aug 9, 2018 $110 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Jul 24, 2018 $90 AXUMIN Food and Beverage BLUE EARTH DIAGNOSTICS LIMITED
Apr 11, 2018 $61 ERLEADA Travel and Lodging JANSSEN SCIENTIFIC AFFAIRS, LLC David Josephson, MD
May 8, 2018 $44 SPACEOAR Food and Beverage AUGMENIX, 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/48631

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.