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/992761
  • 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/992761
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.

MIRELIS ACOSTA

Listed Specialty: Internal Medicine
AVE 359 DE DIEGO, FUNDACION DE INVESTIGACION DE DIEGO, SAN JUAN, PR, 00927

2018 Payments: At a Glance

219

payments

$36,589

payment total

19

companies paid this doctor

Types of Payments

Category Payments Payment Value
Promotional Speaking/Other
 22 $26,383
Consulting
 3 $5,115
Food and Beverage
 184 $4,357
Travel and Lodging
 3 $560
Education
 7 $174

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†
KEYTRUDA

drug

 $14,346
VERZENIO

drug

 $9,326
OPDIVO

drug

 $6,942
IMBRUVICA

drug

 $2,109
POMALYST

drug

 $1,082
Payments with no listed product

N/A

 $928
CYRAMZA

drug

 $326
DARZALEX

drug

 $152
LARTRUVO

drug

 $141
IMFINZI

drug

 $138
GAZYVA

drug

 $125
REVLIMID

drug

 $117
TAGRISSO

drug

 $105
TECENTRIQ

drug

 $102
ZYTIGA

drug

 $100
RITUXAN HYCELA

drug

 $87
LENVIMA

drug

 $86
IBRANCE

drug

 $85
CALQUENCE

drug

 $84
GILOTRIF

drug

 $77
† 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/992761

Payment Details

When How Much Related To What For From Third Party Payee
Feb 20, 2018 $2,188 OPDIVO Promotional Speaking/Other E.R. SQUIBB & SONS, L.L.C.
Dec 21, 2018 $2,083 OPDIVO Promotional Speaking/Other E.R. SQUIBB & SONS, L.L.C.
Nov 16, 2018 $1,820 IMBRUVICA Consulting JANSSEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC
Dec 10, 2018 $1,800 VERZENIO Promotional Speaking/Other ELI LILLY EXPORT S.A. PUERTO RICO BRANCH
Oct 23, 2018 $1,800 VERZENIO Promotional Speaking/Other ELI LILLY EXPORT S.A. PUERTO RICO BRANCH
Dec 4, 2018 $1,800 VERZENIO Promotional Speaking/Other ELI LILLY EXPORT S.A. PUERTO RICO BRANCH
May 15, 2018 $1,720 OPDIVO Consulting E.R. SQUIBB & SONS, L.L.C.
Jul 2, 2018 $1,575 VERZENIO Consulting LILLY USA, LLC
Sep 24, 2018 $1,500 KEYTRUDA Promotional Speaking/Other MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION
Feb 27, 2018 $1,500 KEYTRUDA Promotional Speaking/Other MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION
Dec 3, 2018 $1,500 KEYTRUDA Promotional Speaking/Other MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION
Feb 27, 2018 $1,500 KEYTRUDA Promotional Speaking/Other MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION
Oct 30, 2018 $1,500 KEYTRUDA Promotional Speaking/Other MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION
Feb 13, 2018 $1,500 KEYTRUDA Promotional Speaking/Other MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION
Feb 20, 2018 $1,395 KEYTRUDA Promotional Speaking/Other MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION
Jul 11, 2018 $1,395 KEYTRUDA Promotional Speaking/Other MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION
Mar 27, 2018 $1,395 KEYTRUDA Promotional Speaking/Other MERCK SHARP & DOHME CORPORATION
Dec 2, 2018 $1,082 POMALYST Promotional Speaking/Other CELGENE CORPORATION
Oct 23, 2018 $675 VERZENIO Promotional Speaking/Other ELI LILLY EXPORT S.A. PUERTO RICO BRANCH
Dec 4, 2018 $675 VERZENIO Promotional Speaking/Other ELI LILLY EXPORT S.A. PUERTO RICO BRANCH

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/992761

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.