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/73796
  • 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/73796
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.

JOSEPH BERGER

Listed Specialty: Neurology
3400 CIVIC CENTER BLVD, 2ND FLOOR, SOUTH PAVILION, PHILADELPHIA, PA, 19104-5127

2018 Payments: At a Glance

88

payments

$89,587

payment total

12

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Consulting
 23 $68,874
Travel and Lodging
 28 $17,756
Food and Beverage
 35 $2,858
Education
 2 $99

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†
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $32,981
FTY720D

drug

 $22,702
GILENYA

drug

 $9,484
OZANIMOD

drug

 $7,874
DISEASE STATE

drug

 $7,382
OCREVUS

drug

 $5,760
ENTYVIO

drug

 $1,160
NON-COVERED PRODUCT

drug

 $1,014
FTD

drug

 $615
MAVENCLAD

drug

 $309
KYMRIAH

drug

 $122
TYSABRI

drug

 $99
AUBAGIO

drug

 $85
LEMTRADA

drug

 $85
AVONEX

drug

 $47
TECFIDERA

drug

 $47
† 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.

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jul 19, 2018 $14,700 No Listed Product Consulting BIOGEN, INC.
May 13, 2018 $11,940 FTY720D Travel and Lodging NOVARTIS PHARMA AG
Jul 16, 2018 $8,147 FTY720D Consulting NOVARTIS PHARMA AG
Sep 11, 2018 $7,380 GILENYA Consulting NOVARTIS PHARMA AG
Dec 6, 2018 $7,340 OZANIMOD Consulting CELGENE CORPORATION
Mar 23, 2018 $7,200 No Listed Product Consulting ABBVIE, INC.
Nov 3, 2018 $4,725 No Listed Product Consulting CELGENE CORPORATION
May 4, 2018 $4,500 OCREVUS Consulting GENENTECH, INC.
Nov 20, 2018 $3,528 DISEASE STATE Consulting GENZYME CORPORATION
Nov 20, 2018 $2,940 DISEASE STATE Consulting GENZYME CORPORATION
Oct 16, 2018 $1,875 No Listed Product Consulting SHIRE NORTH AMERICAN GROUP INC
Mar 31, 2018 $1,014 NON-COVERED PRODUCT Consulting F. HOFFMANN-LA ROCHE AG
Oct 23, 2018 $1,000 No Listed Product Consulting SHIRE NORTH AMERICAN GROUP INC
May 13, 2018 $871 FTY720D Travel and Lodging NOVARTIS PHARMA AG
May 4, 2018 $728 OCREVUS Travel and Lodging GENENTECH, INC.
Nov 20, 2018 $624 DISEASE STATE Travel and Lodging GENZYME CORPORATION
May 13, 2018 $615 FTY720D Travel and Lodging NOVARTIS PHARMA AG
Dec 10, 2018 $615 FTD Consulting NOVARTIS PHARMA AG
Jun 1, 2018 $500 No Listed Product Consulting TAKEDA PHARMACEUTICALS U.S.A., INC.
May 13, 2018 $492 FTY720D Travel and Lodging NOVARTIS PHARMA AG

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/73796

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.