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/93628
  • 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/93628
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.


CHARLES ARGOFF

Listed Specialty: Pain Medicine
47 NEW SCOTLAND AVE, ALBANY, NY, 12208-3412

2018 Payments: At a Glance

281

payments

$280,400

payment total

24

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
57 $158K
Consulting
22 $63,918
Travel and Lodging
100 $33,924
Honoraria
7 $17,025
Food and Beverage
90 $6,327
Grant
1 $995
Education
4 $469

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
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$74,073
MORPHABOND ER

drug

$69,396
AIMOVIG

drug

$21,636
LUCEMYRA

drug

$19,432
PRIALT

drug

$19,302
AJOVY

drug

$11,794
NEURONTIN

drug

$9,000
EVZIO

drug

$8,174
HORIZANT

drug

$7,553
PROMETRA II

device

$6,565
BOTOX

drug

$5,800
GRALISE

drug

$5,509
BELBUCA

drug

$5,412
MOVANTIK

drug

$4,592
XTAMPZA

drug

$4,273
NUCYNTA

drug

$4,242
ZTLIDO 30 POUCH IN 1 CARTON 1 PATCH IN 1 POUCH

drug

$4,079
SENZA SPINAL CORD STIMULATION SYSTEM

device

$1,851
GILENYA

drug

$1,789
SYNCHROMED

device

$172
† 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
Feb 1, 2018 $9,000 NEURONTIN Consulting PFIZER INC.
Jul 14, 2018 $7,200 LUCEMYRA Promotional Speaking/Other US WORLDMEDS, LLC
Jul 23, 2018 $7,200 MORPHABOND ER Promotional Speaking/Other DAIICHI SANKYO INC.
Oct 26, 2018 $7,110 No Listed Product Consulting NOVARTIS PHARMACEUTICALS CORPORATION
Mar 22, 2018 $6,840 MORPHABOND ER Promotional Speaking/Other DAIICHI SANKYO INC.
Nov 9, 2018 $6,840 MORPHABOND ER Promotional Speaking/Other DAIICHI SANKYO INC.
Jan 12, 2018 $6,565 PROMETRA II Promotional Speaking/Other FLOWONIX MEDICAL INCORPORATED
Aug 24, 2018 $6,480 MORPHABOND ER Promotional Speaking/Other DAIICHI SANKYO INC.
Mar 6, 2018 $6,480 MORPHABOND ER Promotional Speaking/Other DAIICHI SANKYO INC.
Apr 5, 2018 $6,480 MORPHABOND ER Promotional Speaking/Other DAIICHI SANKYO INC.
Feb 5, 2018 $6,290 MORPHABOND ER Promotional Speaking/Other DAIICHI SANKYO INC.
Nov 21, 2018 $6,120 MORPHABOND ER Promotional Speaking/Other DAIICHI SANKYO INC.
May 25, 2018 $6,120 MORPHABOND ER Promotional Speaking/Other DAIICHI SANKYO INC.
Dec 29, 2018 $5,610 EVZIO Consulting KALEO, INC.
Jun 11, 2018 $5,000 No Listed Product Consulting PFIZER INC.
May 28, 2018 $5,000 No Listed Product Consulting PFIZER INC.
Aug 16, 2018 $4,740 No Listed Product Consulting REGENERON PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Apr 7, 2018 $4,500 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other TEVA PHARMACEUTICALS USA, INC.
Jan 29, 2018 $4,300 MOVANTIK Promotional Speaking/Other DAIICHI SANKYO INC.
Jun 13, 2018 $4,000 PRIALT Promotional Speaking/Other JAZZ PHARMACEUTICALS 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/93628

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.