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/55858
  • 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/55858
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.

CRAIG SAFFER

Listed Specialty: Obstetrics
7695 CARDINAL CT, SUITE 240, SAN DIEGO, CA, 92123-3357

2018 Payments: At a Glance

52

payments

$11,723

payment total

15

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 3 $6,100
Food and Beverage
 39 $2,318
Promotional Speaking/Other
 1 $1,760
Travel and Lodging
 4 $1,453
Education
 5 $92

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†
HTX-011

drug

 $6,823
DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM

device

 $1,922
OFIRMEV

drug

 $1,894
MYOSURE

device

 $271
NOVASURE

device

 $271
ORILISSA

drug

 $242
LUPRON

drug

 $208
MONALISA TOUCH

device

 $154
FLUENT

device

 $117
OMNISCOPE

device

 $117
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $76
LO LOESTRIN FE

drug

 $62
KYLEENA

drug

 $49
MIRENA

drug

 $49
INTRAROSA

drug

 $44
GARDASIL

drug

 $30
NEXPLANON

drug

 $30
CERVIDIL

drug

 $19
ON-Q PUMP AND ACCESSORIES

device

 $17
MAKENA

drug

 $17
† 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/55858

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
May 5, 2018 $4,000 HTX-011 Consulting HERON THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Oct 15, 2018 $1,760 OFIRMEV Promotional Speaking/Other MALLINCKRODT LLC
Jul 24, 2018 $1,500 HTX-011 Consulting HERON THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Sep 20, 2018 $771 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Travel and Lodging INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Apr 5, 2018 $600 HTX-011 Consulting HERON THERAPEUTICS, INC.
May 5, 2018 $393 HTX-011 Food and Beverage HERON THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Sep 17, 2018 $334 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Travel and Lodging INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
May 5, 2018 $330 HTX-011 Travel and Lodging HERON THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Nov 13, 2018 $189 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Mar 8, 2018 $154 MONALISA TOUCH MYOSURE NOVASURE Food and Beverage CYNOSURE, LLC
Jan 9, 2018 $146 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Aug 28, 2018 $145 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Oct 9, 2018 $118 OFIRMEV Food and Beverage MALLINCKRODT LLC
Nov 13, 2018 $117 NOVASURE MYOSURE FLUENT OMNISCOPE Food and Beverage HOLOGIC, LLC
Nov 29, 2018 $116 ORILISSA Food and Beverage ABBVIE, INC.
Mar 27, 2018 $110 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Mar 22, 2018 $109 LUPRON Food and Beverage ABBVIE, INC.
Aug 14, 2018 $99 LUPRON Food and Beverage ABBVIE, INC.
Sep 26, 2018 $54 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
Dec 11, 2018 $52 DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM Food and Beverage INTUITIVE SURGICAL, 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/55858

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.