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/76114
  • 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/76114
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.

THANH NGUYEN

Listed Specialty: Cardiovascular Disease
3715 PRYTANIA ST., SUITE 400, NEW ORLEANS, LA, 70115-3768

2018 Payments: At a Glance

73

payments

$4,685

payment total

20

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 67 $3,374
Travel and Lodging
 5 $1,226
Entertainment
 1 $85

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†
RESOLUTE

device

 $2,420
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $632
IMPELLA

device

 $466
LIFEVEST

device

 $227
IGT_D CORONARY

device

 $155
REPATHA

drug

 $151
XIENCE ALPINE CORNARY STENT SYSTEM

device

 $140
CARDIOMEMS HF SYSTEM

device

 $124
ENTRESTO

drug

 $61
NORTHERA

drug

 $44
CARDIAC MONITORING SUITE

device

 $30
ELIQUIS

drug

 $27
PRALUENT

drug

 $25
ASAHI FIELDER CORONARY GUIDE WIRE

device

 $21
NC TREK CORONARY CATHETERS

device

 $21
XIENCE V CORONARY STENT SYSTEM

device

 $21
HI-TORQUE CORONARY GUIDE WIRE

device

 $21
RADIAL ACCESS - VASCBAND

device

 $18
QUADRA ASSURA CRT DEFIBRILLATOR

device

 $18
AZUR

device

 $16
† 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/76114

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jan 25, 2018 $676 RESOLUTE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 25, 2018 $384 RESOLUTE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 27, 2018 $168 RESOLUTE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 25, 2018 $167 RESOLUTE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Jan 25, 2018 $167 RESOLUTE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Feb 24, 2018 $134 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Nov 3, 2018 $132 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
May 30, 2018 $130 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Nov 29, 2018 $124 CARDIOMEMS HF SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 18, 2018 $122 REPATHA Food and Beverage AMGEN INC.
Jan 19, 2018 $119 XIENCE ALPINE CORNARY STENT SYSTEM Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Apr 19, 2018 $118 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Aug 22, 2018 $110 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
Sep 28, 2018 $107 RESOLUTE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Aug 23, 2018 $100 LIFEVEST Food and Beverage ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
May 31, 2018 $100 IMPELLA Food and Beverage ABIOMED
Jan 23, 2018 $95 LIFEVEST Food and Beverage ZOLL SERVICES LLC (A/K/A ZOLL LIFECOR CORP)
Jan 8, 2018 $95 No Listed Product Food and Beverage BIOTRONIK INC.
Jan 25, 2018 $92 RESOLUTE Travel and Lodging MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Aug 22, 2018 $90 RESOLUTE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, 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/76114

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.