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/9640
  • 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/9640
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.


ANTHONY POLITO

Listed Specialty: Podiatrist
29099 HEALTH CAMPUS DR, BLDG 3 STE 180, WESTLAKE, OH, 44145-5200

2018 Payments: At a Glance

101

payments

$37,854

payment total

14

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
6 $34,500
Food and Beverage
90 $1,886
Travel and Lodging
5 $1,468

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

$35,293
MIB

device

$1,011
SNIPER STAPLES

device

$729
TWO STEP

device

$729
GRAFIX & STRAVIX

drug

$341
SANTYL

drug

$165
AMNIOEXCEL

device

$156
REGRANEX

drug

$144
PRIMARY CARE - DISEASE STATE

drug

$125
KRYSTEXXA

drug

$125
PREVENA

device

$125
OASIS

device

$119
MEDIHONEY

device

$116
OMNIGRAFT

device

$116
PRIMATRIX

device

$116
TCC-EZ

device

$116
RAYOS

drug

$101
DUEXIS

drug

$80
VIMOVO

drug

$59
STAGRAFT DBM PRODUCTS

device

$46
† 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/9640

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
May 8, 2018 $7,500 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other DNE LLC
May 25, 2018 $6,500 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other DNE LLC
Oct 17, 2018 $6,000 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other DNE LLC
Jun 15, 2018 $5,000 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other DNE LLC
Mar 1, 2018 $5,000 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other DNE LLC
Aug 20, 2018 $4,500 No Listed Product Promotional Speaking/Other DNE LLC
Oct 17, 2018 $780 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging DNE LLC
Aug 15, 2018 $443 MIB TWO STEP SNIPER STAPLES Travel and Lodging TRILLIANT SURGICAL LLC.
Mar 8, 2018 $283 MIB Food and Beverage TRILLIANT SURGICAL LLC.
Sep 22, 2018 $223 MIB TWO STEP SNIPER STAPLES Travel and Lodging TRILLIANT SURGICAL LLC.
Jul 18, 2018 $125 PRIMARY CARE - DISEASE STATE Food and Beverage HORIZON PHARMA PLC
Feb 21, 2018 $125 PREVENA Food and Beverage KCI USA, INC
Mar 29, 2018 $111 SANTYL REGRANEX OASIS Food and Beverage SMITH & NEPHEW, INC.
May 22, 2018 $105 KRYSTEXXA Food and Beverage HORIZON PHARMA PLC
May 2, 2018 $91 GRAFIX & STRAVIX Food and Beverage OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Feb 28, 2018 $80 GRAFIX & STRAVIX Food and Beverage OSIRIS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Jun 9, 2018 $73 OMNIGRAFT PRIMATRIX MEDIHONEY TCC-EZ AMNIOEXCEL Food and Beverage INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Sep 22, 2018 $49 MIB TWO STEP SNIPER STAPLES Food and Beverage TRILLIANT SURGICAL LLC.
May 2, 2018 $46 STAGRAFT DBM PRODUCTS Food and Beverage ZIMMER BIOMET HOLDINGS, INC.
Jul 17, 2018 $26 OMNIGRAFT PRIMATRIX MEDIHONEY TCC-EZ AMNIOEXCEL Food and Beverage INTEGRA LIFESCIENCES 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/9640

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.