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/55731
  • 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/55731
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.

JOHN PIRRIS

Listed Specialty: Thoracic Surgery (Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery)
655 W 8TH ST, JACKSONVILLE, FL, 32209-6511

2018 Payments: At a Glance

49

payments

$87,757

payment total

12

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Royalty or License
 4 $81,731
Travel and Lodging
 18 $4,180
Food and Beverage
 26 $1,545
Consulting
 1 $300

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†
STERNALOCK BLU

device

 $82,031
IVUS SYSTEMS

device

 $1,831
AORTIC TISSUE VALVE - PERCEVAL

device

 $1,531
MOSAIC

device

 $913
IMPELLA

device

 $386
CONFORMABLE TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $244
PERCEVAL S

device

 $207
ECM

device

 $150
CVX-300

device

 $88
IGT_D THERAPY

device

 $80
IGT DEVICE UNDIVIDED

device

 $73
EXCLUDER AAA ENDOPROSTHESIS

device

 $69
ON-X

device

 $57
SYNERGRAFT

device

 $57
TMR

device

 $57
SYNFIX

device

 $33
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $19
LIFEVEST

device

 $14
GLIDELIGHT

device

 $14
ANDEXXA

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.

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/55731

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 9, 2018 $25,534 STERNALOCK BLU Royalty or License ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Nov 15, 2018 $21,313 STERNALOCK BLU Royalty or License ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
May 10, 2018 $18,427 STERNALOCK BLU Royalty or License ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Feb 14, 2018 $16,458 STERNALOCK BLU Royalty or License ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
May 28, 2018 $850 AORTIC TISSUE VALVE - PERCEVAL Travel and Lodging LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Aug 20, 2018 $757 IVUS SYSTEMS Travel and Lodging PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Aug 31, 2018 $438 IVUS SYSTEMS Travel and Lodging PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Aug 23, 2018 $365 IVUS SYSTEMS Travel and Lodging PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Nov 15, 2018 $309 MOSAIC Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Apr 19, 2018 $300 STERNALOCK BLU Consulting ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Aug 20, 2018 $271 IVUS SYSTEMS Travel and Lodging PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
Nov 16, 2018 $268 IMPELLA Travel and Lodging ABIOMED
Nov 15, 2018 $221 MOSAIC Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jun 20, 2018 $198 AORTIC TISSUE VALVE - PERCEVAL Travel and Lodging LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Nov 15, 2018 $190 MOSAIC Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Sep 5, 2018 $182 CONFORMABLE TAG THORACIC ENDOPROSTHESIS Food and Beverage W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Nov 7, 2018 $150 ECM Food and Beverage AZIYO BIOLOGICS, INC.
May 29, 2018 $141 AORTIC TISSUE VALVE - PERCEVAL Food and Beverage LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Jul 15, 2018 $113 PERCEVAL S Food and Beverage LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Nov 16, 2018 $98 IMPELLA Travel and Lodging ABIOMED

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/55731

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.