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/822824
  • 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/822824
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.

RALPH RIZK

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery
201 14TH ST SW, LARGO, FL, 33770-3133

2018 Payments: At a Glance

51

payments

$5,749

payment total

8

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Travel and Lodging
 10 $2,679
Food and Beverage
 37 $2,604
Education
 3 $346
Promotional Speaking/Other
 1 $120

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†
OXFORD

device

 $1,403
AXSOS

device

 $1,349
VARIAX

device

 $1,040
GAMMA

device

 $1,017
HOFFMANN

device

 $895
DJO SURGICAL CLP HIP SYSTEM

device

 $645
T2

device

 $586
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $300
ASNIS

device

 $288
CLYDESDALE

device

 $271
REUNION

device

 $149
ALLOGRAFT

device

 $133
ALLOWRAP

device

 $133
STRATAFIX

device

 $123
ELITEK

drug

 $120
ACTIS

device

 $118
PINNACLE

device

 $118
VA-LCP PLATES & SCREWS

device

 $118
COMP REVERSE SHOULDER ARCOM

device

 $115
ARISTA AH

device

 $104
† 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/822824

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Nov 15, 2018 $586 AXSOS GAMMA VARIAX T2 HOFFMANN Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Sep 10, 2018 $527 DJO SURGICAL CLP HIP SYSTEM Travel and Lodging ENCORE MEDICAL, LP
Nov 30, 2018 $462 OXFORD Travel and Lodging ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Nov 29, 2018 $462 OXFORD Travel and Lodging ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Mar 7, 2018 $300 No Listed Product Education MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Nov 29, 2018 $224 OXFORD Travel and Lodging ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Nov 15, 2018 $157 AXSOS GAMMA HOFFMANN VARIAX Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Nov 18, 2018 $152 AXSOS GAMMA HOFFMANN VARIAX Travel and Lodging STRYKER CORPORATION
Feb 22, 2018 $149 REUNION Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
May 17, 2018 $149 AXSOS Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Apr 20, 2018 $147 CLYDESDALE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Aug 9, 2018 $145 VARIAX Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Dec 20, 2018 $133 ALLOGRAFT ALLOWRAP Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Nov 15, 2018 $125 ASNIS Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Oct 25, 2018 $124 CLYDESDALE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Apr 12, 2018 $123 STRATAFIX Food and Beverage MEDICAL DEVICE BUSINESS SERVICES, INC.
Aug 22, 2018 $120 ELITEK Promotional Speaking/Other GENZYME CORPORATION
Dec 18, 2018 $118 ACTIS PINNACLE VA-LCP PLATES & SCREWS Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
Sep 27, 2018 $115 COMP REVERSE SHOULDER ARCOM Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Nov 16, 2018 $108 ASNIS Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION

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/822824

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.