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/73270
  • 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/73270
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.

DAVID LOBAS

Listed Specialty: Neurology
9104 BABCOCK BLVD, SUITE 5110, PITTSBURGH, PA, 15237-5818

2018 Payments: At a Glance

240

payments

$55,585

payment total

27

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 30 $36,273
Food and Beverage
 171 $7,614
Consulting
 3 $5,693
Travel and Lodging
 32 $3,887
Nonaccredited Training
 2 $2,000
Education
 2 $119

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†
APTIOM

drug

 $8,480
NUEDEXTA

drug

 $7,579
AUSTEDO

drug

 $7,230
BRIVIACT

drug

 $5,984
APOKYN

drug

 $4,278
XADAGO

drug

 $3,857
DISEASE STATE

drug

 $3,856
VNS THERAPY

device

 $3,399
NAMZARIC

drug

 $3,359
ACTHAR

drug

 $2,202
REBIF

drug

 $1,938
AUBAGIO

drug

 $1,216
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $333
LEMTRADA

drug

 $265
INFINITY DBS PULSE GENERATORS

device

 $210
AIMOVIG

drug

 $208
NAMENDA XR

drug

 $200
GOCOVRI

drug

 $167
KYPHON BALLOON KYPHOPLASTY

device

 $136
VIMPAT

drug

 $124
† 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/73270

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Dec 1, 2018 $3,000 AUSTEDO Promotional Speaking/Other TEVA PHARMACEUTICALS USA, INC.
Jun 20, 2018 $2,838 DISEASE STATE Consulting GENZYME CORPORATION
Oct 15, 2018 $2,500 BRIVIACT Consulting UCB, INC. David M Lobas MD Ltd
Oct 3, 2018 $2,120 NUEDEXTA Promotional Speaking/Other AVANIR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Nov 16, 2018 $2,120 NUEDEXTA Promotional Speaking/Other AVANIR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Jun 15, 2018 $2,120 NUEDEXTA Promotional Speaking/Other AVANIR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Apr 11, 2018 $1,980 ACTHAR Promotional Speaking/Other MALLINCKRODT LLC
Sep 27, 2018 $1,925 APTIOM Promotional Speaking/Other SUNOVION PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Mar 14, 2018 $1,925 APTIOM Promotional Speaking/Other SUNOVION PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Jun 14, 2018 $1,925 APTIOM Promotional Speaking/Other SUNOVION PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Mar 15, 2018 $1,925 APTIOM Promotional Speaking/Other SUNOVION PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Mar 20, 2018 $1,750 NAMZARIC Promotional Speaking/Other ALLERGAN INC.
Sep 18, 2018 $1,680 REBIF Promotional Speaking/Other EMD SERONO, INC. DAVID M LOBAS MD LTD
Apr 4, 2018 $1,500 BRIVIACT Promotional Speaking/Other UCB, INC.
Mar 27, 2018 $1,500 AUSTEDO Promotional Speaking/Other TEVA PHARMACEUTICALS USA, INC.
Mar 29, 2018 $1,500 XADAGO Promotional Speaking/Other US WORLDMEDS, LLC
Jul 19, 2018 $1,500 XADAGO Promotional Speaking/Other US WORLDMEDS, LLC
May 31, 2018 $1,500 APOKYN Promotional Speaking/Other US WORLDMEDS, LLC
Aug 2, 2018 $1,500 AUSTEDO Promotional Speaking/Other TEVA PHARMACEUTICALS USA, INC.
Mar 20, 2018 $1,293 NAMZARIC Travel and Lodging ALLERGAN 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/73270

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.