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/914269
  • 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/914269
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.


STEPHEN MALONE

Listed Specialty: Orthopaedic Surgery of the Spine
260 BEISER BLVD, SUITE 101, DOVER, DE, 19904-7790

2018 Payments: At a Glance

19

payments

$470

payment total

11

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
19 $470

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

$96
SCS IPGS

device

$60
IVS - MULTIGEN 2RF

device

$40
IVS - VERTEBRAL AUGMENTATION PRODUCTS

device

$40
TFN ADVANCED

device

$40
ZILRETTA

drug

$39
MODULUS

device

$38
VA-LCP PLATES & SCREWS

device

$36
VIPER

device

$32
MOBI-C

device

$27
PRIMAGEN

device

$27
ELITE EXPANDABLE INTERBODY SYSTEM

device

$21
PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

$17
TRINICA ANTERIOR LUMBAR PLATE

device

$16
ADAPTIVESTIM

device

$16
SPECIFY

device

$15
PRODISC C

device

$15
GENVISC 850

device

$13
PROLIFT EXPANDABLE TLIF

device

$11
CAVUX CERVICAL CAGE

device

$11
† 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/914269

Payment Details

All payments are displayed, the largest appearing on top.

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Sep 6, 2018 $96 BME NITINOL CONTINUOUS COMPRESSION IMPLANTS Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
Jan 12, 2018 $60 SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
May 14, 2018 $40 IVS - MULTIGEN 2RF IVS - VERTEBRAL AUGMENTATION PRODUCTS Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
Aug 27, 2018 $38 MODULUS Food and Beverage NUVASIVE, INC.
Jul 30, 2018 $24 VIPER VA-LCP PLATES & SCREWS TFN ADVANCED Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
May 9, 2018 $22 ZILRETTA Food and Beverage FLEXION THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Feb 26, 2018 $21 ELITE EXPANDABLE INTERBODY SYSTEM Food and Beverage SPINEOLOGY INC.
May 4, 2018 $17 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Sep 19, 2018 $17 ZILRETTA Food and Beverage FLEXION THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Feb 22, 2018 $16 PRIMAGEN TRINICA ANTERIOR LUMBAR PLATE MOBI-C Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Feb 8, 2018 $16 TFN ADVANCED Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
Mar 29, 2018 $16 ADAPTIVESTIM Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Jan 29, 2018 $15 SPECIFY Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Feb 12, 2018 $15 PRODISC C Food and Beverage CENTINEL SPINE, LLC
Jun 6, 2018 $13 GENVISC 850 Food and Beverage ORTHOGENRX INC.
May 31, 2018 $13 VA-LCP PLATES & SCREWS Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
Oct 17, 2018 $11 PRIMAGEN PROLIFT EXPANDABLE TLIF MOBI-C Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Oct 25, 2018 $11 CAVUX CERVICAL CAGE DTRAX SPINAL SYSTEM ALLY BONE SCREW BIOLOGIX ALLOGRAFT BONE Food and Beverage PROVIDENCE MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Apr 5, 2018 $9 SKYLINE VIPER Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.

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.