Business & Tech

How Much Did Pharmaceutical Companies Pay Burnsville Doctors?

Minnesota physicians have received $26.5 million from drug companies since 2009. Find out what payments your doctor received.

Drug companies have paid Burnsville doctors tens of thousands of dollars since 2009 as part of an effort to spread the word about their products, according to a ProPublica database updated last week.

The “Dollars for Docs” database represents $2 billion in disclosed payments from a total of 15 companies who cumulatively hold 47 percent of the industry’s market share.

The payments cover:

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

  • Speaking fees
  • Consulting fees
  • Research
  • Travel fees
  • Meals
  • Educational items or gifts
  • Royalty or license fees

Pharmaceutical payments to physicians are not illegal, but critics say these payments turn doctors into sales reps, influence physicians’ prescription decisions and undermine trust in the health care system.

Backers counter that they provide important education on new drugs that benefits doctors and patients alike.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

The ProPublica database likely understates the amount that doctors receive dozens of companies don’t publicize their payments to specific doctors. Most companies in the database are required to report because of legal settlements with the federal government.

Minnesota physicians received $26,502,825 of the total. The state also had one of the 22 doctors nationwide who have earned at least $500,000 from pharmaceuticals since 2009—Dr. Todd Hess, director of United Pain Center in St. Paul. ProPublica found 32 payments worth $542,900 from Eli Lilly, Forest, Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer.

Ernest W. Swihart—a behavioral pediatrician at South Lake Pediatrics—was the biggest earner in tens of thousands of dollars His payments include $49,200 in 2009, $33,675 in 2010 and $5,500 in 2011 in speaking fees from Eli Lilly.

Use the widget above to find out what payments your doctor received. Then share your thoughts on what you find in the comments below.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here