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/49497
  • 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/49497
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.

BRIAN FERRIS

Listed Specialty: Vascular Surgery
1135 116TH AVE NE, SUITE 305, BELLEVUE, WA, 98004-4623

2018 Payments: At a Glance

79

payments

$54,683

payment total

11

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 12 $33,840
Accredited Training
 2 $8,350
Travel and Lodging
 16 $6,179
Food and Beverage
 47 $3,309
Consulting
 2 $3,004

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†
XARELTO

drug

 $26,991
VARITHENA

drug

 $14,372
VENASEAL

device

 $7,710
GENERAL VASCULAR INTERVENTION

device

 $3,082
GENERAL THERAPIES

device

 $1,403
ABSOLUTE PRO VASCULAR STENT SYSTEM

device

 $337
COOK MEDICAL ADVANCED TECH

device

 $135
GENERAL ATHERECTOMY

device

 $132
COOK MEDICAL AAA

device

 $89
COOK MEDICAL THORACIC

device

 $83
PERCLOSE PROGLIDE SUTURE MEDIATED CLOSURE SYSTEM

device

 $76
PROSTAR XL SURGICAL SYSTEM

device

 $76
STARCLOSE SE VASCULAR CLOSURE SYSTEM

device

 $76
ELIQUIS

drug

 $58
COOK MEDICAL ZENITH

device

 $52
ANDEXXA

drug

 $38
BEVYXXA

drug

 $28
AZUR

device

 $22
COOK MEDICAL ZILVER PTX

device

 $19
EKOSONIC

device

 $19
† 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/49497

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jan 16, 2018 $7,600 VENASEAL Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC. Centerline Surgical Consulting Llc Brian L Ferris
May 4, 2018 $4,250 VARITHENA Accredited Training BIOCOMPATIBLES, INC.
Apr 6, 2018 $4,100 VARITHENA Accredited Training BIOCOMPATIBLES, INC.
Jan 29, 2018 $4,100 VARITHENA Promotional Speaking/Other BIOCOMPATIBLES, INC.
Nov 14, 2018 $3,525 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC Centerline Surgical Consulting LLC
Nov 30, 2018 $3,525 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC Centerline Surgical Consulting LLC
Dec 12, 2018 $3,525 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC Centerline Surgical Consulting LLC
Apr 27, 2018 $3,055 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC Centerline Surgical Consulting LLC
Jun 15, 2018 $3,055 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC Centerline Surgical Consulting LLC
Apr 25, 2018 $3,055 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC Centerline Surgical Consulting LLC
Mar 7, 2018 $3,000 GENERAL VASCULAR INTERVENTION Consulting BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION CENTERLINE SURGICAL CONSULTING LLC
Mar 26, 2018 $2,000 XARELTO Promotional Speaking/Other JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Apr 14, 2018 $1,340 XARELTO Travel and Lodging JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Oct 24, 2018 $1,052 XARELTO Travel and Lodging JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC Centerline Surgical Consulting LLC
Feb 25, 2018 $540 GENERAL THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
May 4, 2018 $505 VARITHENA Travel and Lodging BIOCOMPATIBLES, INC.
Feb 25, 2018 $493 GENERAL THERAPIES Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Jan 29, 2018 $466 VARITHENA Travel and Lodging BIOCOMPATIBLES, INC.
Feb 25, 2018 $371 GENERAL THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Dec 20, 2018 $356 XARELTO Travel and Lodging JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC Centerline Surgical Consulting LLC

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/49497

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.