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/957307
  • 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/957307
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.

PATRICIO ESPINOSA

Listed Specialty: Clinical Neurophysiology
800 MEADOWS RD, BOCA CARE INC, BOCA RATON, FL, 33486-2304

2018 Payments: At a Glance

158

payments

$8,165

payment total

33

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Food and Beverage
 145 $4,016
Nonaccredited Training
 2 $2,000
Promotional Speaking/Other
 4 $1,974
Travel and Lodging
 5 $160
Education
 2 $15

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†
VNS THERAPY

device

 $2,519
APTIOM

drug

 $2,083
PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS

device

 $329
TYSABRI

drug

 $309
LEMTRADA

drug

 $288
AUBAGIO

drug

 $217
TECFIDERA

drug

 $156
SOLITAIRE

device

 $152
BOTOX

drug

 $146
SOLIRIS

drug

 $143
XARELTO

drug

 $137
AIMOVIG

drug

 $132
TREVO

device

 $128
DISEASE STATE

drug

 $125
BRAINLAB

device

 $118
ACTIVASE

drug

 $117
ANDEXXA

drug

 $117
NORTHERA

drug

 $108
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $102
MS DISEASE STATE

drug

 $100
† 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/957307

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Jan 23, 2018 $1,925 APTIOM Promotional Speaking/Other SUNOVION PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Jun 1, 2018 $1,000 VNS THERAPY Nonaccredited Training LIVANOVA USA, INC. ECOMMUNITY RESEARCH LLC
Oct 9, 2018 $1,000 VNS THERAPY Nonaccredited Training LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Sep 25, 2018 $170 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Jun 19, 2018 $136 SOLITAIRE Food and Beverage MEDTRONIC USA, INC.
Aug 29, 2018 $134 VNS THERAPY Food and Beverage LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Aug 30, 2018 $125 TYSABRI Food and Beverage BIOGEN, INC.
Jan 23, 2018 $125 APTIOM Food and Beverage SUNOVION PHARMACEUTICALS INC.
Nov 20, 2018 $125 DISEASE STATE Food and Beverage GENZYME CORPORATION
Feb 22, 2018 $122 LEMTRADA Food and Beverage GENZYME CORPORATION
Dec 15, 2018 $118 BRAINLAB Food and Beverage DEPUY SYNTHES SALES INC.
Mar 21, 2018 $117 ACTIVASE Food and Beverage GENENTECH USA, INC.
Nov 1, 2018 $117 ANDEXXA Food and Beverage PORTOLA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
Sep 27, 2018 $117 XARELTO Food and Beverage JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Aug 8, 2018 $100 AUBAGIO LEMTRADA MS DISEASE STATE PIPELINE-MS Food and Beverage GENZYME CORPORATION
Apr 19, 2018 $100 PROCLAIM FAMILY OF SCS IPGS Food and Beverage ABBOTT LABORATORIES
Oct 9, 2018 $78 VNS THERAPY Travel and Lodging LIVANOVA USA, INC. ECOMMUNITY RESEARCH LLC
Mar 26, 2018 $78 VNS THERAPY Food and Beverage LIVANOVA USA, INC.
Sep 26, 2018 $77 TREVO Food and Beverage STRYKER CORPORATION
May 7, 2018 $69 VNS THERAPY Food and Beverage LIVANOVA USA, 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/957307

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.