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/55596
  • 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/55596
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.

MURRAY SHAMES

Listed Specialty: Vascular Surgery
2 TAMPA GENERAL CIR, STC 3RD FLOOR, TAMPA, FL, 33606-3603

2018 Payments: At a Glance

130

payments

$22,496

payment total

8

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 3 $7,500
Food and Beverage
 117 $6,997
Consulting
 5 $3,013
Honoraria
 1 $2,925
Nonaccredited Training
 1 $1,500
Travel and Lodging
 3 $562

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†
ENDURANT

device

 $4,443
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $3,385
EXCLUDER ILIAC BRANCH ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $3,092
VALIANT CAPTIVIA

device

 $2,542
EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $1,634
COOK MEDICAL IAA

device

 $1,500
PRODUCT IN DEVELOPMENT

device

 $900
RELAY PLUS

device

 $830
COOK MEDICAL ZILVER PTX

device

 $746
VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $616
TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $458
C3 DELIVERY SYSTEM

device

 $407
COOK MEDICAL AAA

device

 $298
COOK MEDICAL ADVANCED TECH

device

 $284
COOK MEDICAL PERIPHERAL INTERVENTION

device

 $253
OVATION

device

 $126
PENUMBRA RUBY COIL

device

 $124
COOK MEDICAL CELECT PLATINUM

device

 $117
HAWKONE

device

 $117
COOK MEDICAL STENTS

device

 $110
† 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/55596

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jul 6, 2018 $2,925 EXCLUDER ILIAC BRANCH ENDOPROSTHESIS Honoraria W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Jun 29, 2018 $2,500 VALIANT CAPTIVIA Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 10, 2018 $2,500 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 14, 2018 $2,500 ENDURANT Promotional Speaking/Other MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Feb 14, 2018 $1,500 COOK MEDICAL IAA Nonaccredited Training COOK INCORPORATED
Oct 5, 2018 $900 PRODUCT IN DEVELOPMENT Consulting W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Feb 2, 2018 $900 EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS Consulting W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Feb 27, 2018 $450 TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS Consulting W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Feb 2, 2018 $450 EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS Consulting W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Jul 12, 2018 $313 ENDURANT Consulting MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 5, 2018 $287 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Oct 5, 2018 $259 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Mar 17, 2018 $241 VIABAHN VBX BALLOON EXPANDABLE ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Nov 15, 2018 $203 EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Jun 21, 2018 $191 ENDURANT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Feb 24, 2018 $150 ENDURANT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Nov 13, 2018 $150 RELAY PLUS Food and Beverage BOLTON MEDICAL INC
Aug 23, 2018 $141 ENDURANT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Nov 14, 2018 $137 ENDURANT Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Nov 7, 2018 $136 RELAY PLUS Food and Beverage BOLTON MEDICAL 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/55596

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.