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/84505
  • 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/84505
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.


DARREN JOHNSON

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Trauma
740 S LIMESTONE, LEXINGTON, KY, 40536-0001

2018 Payments: At a Glance

65

payments

$68,923

payment total

2

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
6 $38,784
Royalty or License
4 $18,866
Travel and Lodging
16 $5,913
Consulting
3 $2,820
Food and Beverage
36 $2,540

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
BIOSURE REGENESORB

device

$28,103
TRUNAV

device

$23,437
PINPOINT SYSTEM

device

$20,028
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$16,435
FAST-FIX 360

device

$2,330
COBLATION WANDS

device

$1,788
Q-FIX

device

$1,682
REGENETEN

device

$1,108
REGENESORB

device

$957
NAVIO SURGICAL SYSTEM

device

$956
BIOSURE

device

$920
ELITE HIP INSTRUMENTS

device

$855
ULTRABUTTON

device

$419
MENISCAL ROOT REPAIR SYSTEM

device

$267
ACUFEX

device

$157
HEALICOIL

device

$152
ULTRATAPE

device

$152
ACCORD

device

$120
FIRSTPASS MINI

device

$105
PICO

device

$101
† 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/84505

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Aug 29, 2018 $16,625 BIOSURE REGENESORB TRUNAV Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Oct 17, 2018 $12,469 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Jun 1, 2018 $7,872 PINPOINT SYSTEM Royalty or License SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Sep 11, 2018 $4,625 PINPOINT SYSTEM Royalty or License SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Apr 11, 2018 $4,600 BIOSURE REGENESORB Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Mar 9, 2018 $3,749 PINPOINT SYSTEM Royalty or License SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
May 10, 2018 $3,220 BIOSURE REGENESORB TRUNAV Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Dec 3, 2018 $2,620 PINPOINT SYSTEM Royalty or License SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
May 10, 2018 $950 BIOSURE REGENESORB TRUNAV Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Oct 17, 2018 $950 No Listed Product Consulting SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Aug 20, 2018 $950 No Listed Product Consulting SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Mar 12, 2018 $920 COBLATION WANDS Promotional Speaking/Other SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Mar 7, 2018 $920 BIOSURE REGENESORB Consulting SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Feb 15, 2018 $817 Q-FIX FAST-FIX 360 Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Jun 13, 2018 $659 BIOSURE REGENESORB TRUNAV Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Aug 29, 2018 $602 BIOSURE REGENESORB TRUNAV Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Aug 19, 2018 $579 Q-FIX PINPOINT SYSTEM Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Oct 31, 2018 $578 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Oct 31, 2018 $562 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
Feb 15, 2018 $419 PINPOINT SYSTEM ULTRABUTTON BIOSURE REGENESORB TRUNAV Travel and Lodging SMITH & NEPHEW, 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/84505

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.