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/80701
  • 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/80701
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.

VITO LA PUMA

Listed Specialty: Podiatrist, Foot & Ankle Surgery
1545 ATLANTIC AVENUE, BROOKLYN, NY, 11213

2018 Payments: At a Glance

30

payments

$2,003

payment total

9

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 27 $1,180
Travel and Lodging
 3 $823

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†
BME NITINOL CONTINUOUS COMPRESSION IMPLANTS

device

 $1,000
ALLOWRAP

device

 $303
VARIAX

device

 $225
ALCORTIN A

drug

 $217
APLIGRAF

drug

 $125
DERMAGRAFT

device

 $125
PURAPLY/AFFINITY/NUTECH

device

 $125
AXSOS

device

 $125
SNAP

device

 $125
VAC ULTA

device

 $125
VAC VERAFLO

device

 $125
GRAFIX & STRAVIX

drug

 $118
ANCHORAGE

device

 $100
HOFFMANN

device

 $78
BAXDELA

drug

 $51
DUEXIS

drug

 $38
RAYOS

drug

 $15
SPRIX

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.

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jan 12, 2018 $619 BME NITINOL CONTINUOUS COMPRESSION IMPLANTS Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jan 12, 2018 $179 BME NITINOL CONTINUOUS COMPRESSION IMPLANTS Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jan 19, 2018 $125 APLIGRAF DERMAGRAFT PURAPLY/AFFINITY/NUTECH Food and Beverage ORGANOGENESIS INC. L&M Healthcare Communications
Jun 4, 2018 $125 VARIAX AXSOS ALLOWRAP Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Jan 18, 2018 $125 SNAP VAC VERAFLO VAC ULTA Food and Beverage KCI USA, INC
Apr 16, 2018 $118 GRAFIX & STRAVIX Food and Beverage OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Jan 12, 2018 $113 BME NITINOL CONTINUOUS COMPRESSION IMPLANTS Food and Beverage MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Dec 12, 2018 $100 ALLOWRAP ANCHORAGE VARIAX Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Jan 20, 2018 $78 HOFFMANN ALLOWRAP Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Jan 13, 2018 $33 BME NITINOL CONTINUOUS COMPRESSION IMPLANTS Food and Beverage MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Jan 13, 2018 $31 BME NITINOL CONTINUOUS COMPRESSION IMPLANTS Food and Beverage MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Apr 12, 2018 $27 BAXDELA Food and Beverage MELINTA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Jan 12, 2018 $25 BME NITINOL CONTINUOUS COMPRESSION IMPLANTS Travel and Lodging MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Feb 22, 2018 $24 BAXDELA Food and Beverage MELINTA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Apr 12, 2018 $24 ALCORTIN A Food and Beverage NOVUM PHARMA, LLC
Feb 28, 2018 $23 ALCORTIN A Food and Beverage NOVUM PHARMA, LLC
Jul 18, 2018 $21 ALCORTIN A Food and Beverage NOVUM PHARMA, LLC
May 31, 2018 $21 ALCORTIN A Food and Beverage NOVUM PHARMA, LLC
Aug 27, 2018 $21 DUEXIS Food and Beverage HORIZON PHARMA PLC
Jul 26, 2018 $20 ALCORTIN A Food and Beverage NOVUM PHARMA, LLC

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/80701

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.