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/989070
  • 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/989070
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.


VAIBHAV WADHWA

Listed Specialty: Internal Medicine
18101 LORAIN AVE, CLEVELAND, OH, 44111-5612

2018 Payments: At a Glance

61

payments

$8,763

payment total

13

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Travel and Lodging
14 $4,747
Food and Beverage
44 $3,792
Grant
2 $125
Education
1 $99

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
GENERAL THERAPIES

device

$2,171
PILLCAM

device

$1,215
GENERAL BILIARY DEVICES

device

$1,168
ENDOCUFF DEVICES

device

$928
EVIS EXERA

device

$928
OLYMPUS CAPITAL ACCESSORIES

device

$928
SCOPEGUIDE

device

$928
Payments with no listed product

N/A

$832
EPCLUSA

drug

$368
SPYGLASS

device

$361
TRULANCE

drug

$360
MAVYRET

drug

$331
ENTRESTO

drug

$125
LINZESS

drug

$118
VIBERZI

drug

$118
GENERAL HEMOSTASIS

device

$117
CAPTIVATOR COLD

device

$112
ACQUIRE

device

$105
XIFAXAN

drug

$104
REMICADE

drug

$99
† 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/989070

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Dec 20, 2018 $921 GENERAL BILIARY DEVICES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Oct 17, 2018 $608 GENERAL THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Jan 12, 2018 $465 ENDOCUFF DEVICES EVIS EXERA OLYMPUS CAPITAL ACCESSORIES SCOPEGUIDE Travel and Lodging OLYMPUS CORPORATION OF THE AMERICAS
Sep 8, 2018 $400 PILLCAM Travel and Lodging COVIDIEN LP
Sep 26, 2018 $370 GENERAL THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Aug 22, 2018 $325 GENERAL THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Sep 8, 2018 $311 PILLCAM Travel and Lodging COVIDIEN LP
Feb 8, 2018 $300 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging COOK MEDICAL LLC University of Kansas Medical Center
Jan 24, 2018 $299 ENDOCUFF DEVICES EVIS EXERA OLYMPUS CAPITAL ACCESSORIES SCOPEGUIDE Travel and Lodging OLYMPUS CORPORATION OF THE AMERICAS
Aug 22, 2018 $287 GENERAL THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Sep 8, 2018 $257 PILLCAM Food and Beverage COVIDIEN LP
Feb 8, 2018 $200 No Listed Product Travel and Lodging COOK MEDICAL LLC University of Kansas Medical Center
Jun 4, 2018 $173 GENERAL BILIARY DEVICES Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Sep 8, 2018 $139 PILLCAM Food and Beverage COVIDIEN LP
Jul 27, 2018 $136 SPYGLASS Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Oct 17, 2018 $129 GENERAL THERAPIES Travel and Lodging BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
Sep 18, 2018 $125 MAVYRET Food and Beverage ABBVIE, INC.
Nov 19, 2018 $125 EPCLUSA Food and Beverage GILEAD SCIENCES INC
Sep 12, 2018 $125 EPCLUSA Food and Beverage GILEAD SCIENCES INC
Sep 27, 2018 $125 GENERAL THERAPIES Food and Beverage BOSTON SCIENTIFIC 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/989070

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.