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/490846
  • 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/490846
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.

PIERRE GHOLAM

Listed Specialty: Gastroenterology
11100 EUCLID AVE, CLEVELAND, OH, 44106-1716

2018 Payments: At a Glance

387

payments

$248,485

payment total

15

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 42 $140K
Consulting
 10 $35,380
Travel and Lodging
 123 $34,348
Nonaccredited Training
 7 $20,400
Honoraria
 5 $9,580
Food and Beverage
 199 $9,024
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†
MAVYRET

drug

 $76,831
LENVIMA

drug

 $34,493
STIVARGA

drug

 $33,506
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $26,637
OCALIVA

drug

 $20,967
EPCLUSA

drug

 $19,998
NEXAVAR

drug

 $17,313
XIFAXAN

drug

 $9,690
TRULANCE

drug

 $8,810
CABOMETYX

drug

 $7,758
DOPTELET

drug

 $5,906
RELISTOR

drug

 $2,899
MULPLETA

drug

 $765
KEYTRUDA

drug

 $77
ZEPATIER

drug

 $54
GATTEX

drug

 $36
LINZESS

drug

 $36
VIBERZI

drug

 $28
CANASA

drug

 $17
OPDIVO

drug

 $12
† 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
Feb 4, 2018 $9,028 NEXAVAR STIVARGA Travel and Lodging BAYER HEALTHCARE PHARMACEUTICALS INC. Hepatology Consultants Inc.
Jan 19, 2018 $6,300 NEXAVAR STIVARGA Consulting BAYER HEALTHCARE PHARMACEUTICALS INC. Hepatology Consultants Inc.
May 3, 2018 $6,120 EPCLUSA Promotional Speaking/Other GILEAD SCIENCES INC Hepatology Consultants Inc
Jun 15, 2018 $5,920 CABOMETYX Promotional Speaking/Other EXELIXIS INC.
May 8, 2018 $5,500 No Listed Product Consulting MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION HEPATOLOGY CONSULTANTS, INC.
Mar 28, 2018 $5,040 STIVARGA Promotional Speaking/Other BAYER HEALTHCARE PHARMACEUTICALS INC. Hepatology Consultants Inc.
Oct 30, 2018 $4,635 No Listed Product Consulting GILEAD SCIENCES INC Hepatology Consultants Inc.
Nov 19, 2018 $4,150 LENVIMA Promotional Speaking/Other EISAI INC.
Dec 6, 2018 $4,150 LENVIMA Promotional Speaking/Other EISAI INC.
Jan 30, 2018 $3,980 TRULANCE Promotional Speaking/Other SYNERGY PHARMACEUTICALS INC
Sep 6, 2018 $3,960 OCALIVA Honoraria INTERCEPT PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Jun 18, 2018 $3,920 STIVARGA Promotional Speaking/Other BAYER HEALTHCARE PHARMACEUTICALS INC. Hepatology Consultants Inc.
Jun 5, 2018 $3,920 STIVARGA Promotional Speaking/Other BAYER HEALTHCARE PHARMACEUTICALS INC. Hepatology Consultants Inc.
Apr 27, 2018 $3,700 LENVIMA Consulting EISAI INC.
Dec 5, 2018 $3,650 LENVIMA Promotional Speaking/Other EISAI INC.
Sep 7, 2018 $3,650 LENVIMA Promotional Speaking/Other EISAI INC.
Nov 20, 2018 $3,600 XIFAXAN Nonaccredited Training SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS, A DIVISION OF BAUSCH HEALTH US, LLC HEPATOLOGY CONSULTANTS INC
Jul 3, 2018 $3,500 MAVYRET Promotional Speaking/Other ABBVIE, INC. Hepatology Consultants Inc
Nov 6, 2018 $3,500 MAVYRET Promotional Speaking/Other ABBVIE, INC. Hepatology Consultants Inc
Mar 26, 2018 $3,500 MAVYRET Promotional Speaking/Other ABBVIE, INC. Hepatology Consultants 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/490846

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.