Jathin Bandari

The Relationship of Industry Payments to Prescribing Behavior: A Study of Degarelix and Denosumab

Introduction: The influence of financial ties to pharmaceutical companies remains controversial. We assessed a potential relationship between pharmaceutical payments and prescription patterns for degarelix and denosumab. Methods: We compared Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data: Physician and Other Supplier PUF (Public Use File) (Medicare B) data containing 2012 claims with data on Open Payments (Physician Payments Sunshine Act) for the second half of 2013. Urologists and medical oncologists who billed Medicare for degarelix or denosumab were cross referenced in both databases and payments were aggregated into a consolidated data set. Adjusted beneficiary count and total Medicare reimbursement were compared according to the receipt of Sunshine payment. An association between Sunshine payment amount and total Medicare reimbursement was also assessed. Results: Of the 160 prescribers of degarelix and 1,507 prescribers of denosumab 91 (57%) and 854 (57%), respectively, received Sunshine payment. Degarelix prescribers who received Sunshine payment had higher median total Medicare reimbursement (

Payments to Pediatricians in the Sunshine Act

13,257 vs

Contribution of GABAA, Glycine, and Opioid Receptors to Sacral Neuromodulation of Bladder Overactivity in Cats.

9,554, p = 0.01). Denosumab prescribers who received Sunshine payment had higher median adjusted beneficiary count (55 vs 50, p <0.001) and median total Medicare reimbursement (

Neurotransmitter Mechanisms Underlying Sacral Neuromodulation of Bladder Overactivity in Cats

69,620 vs

Management of Primary Squamous Cell Carcinoma at the Mucocutaneous Junction of an Ileal Conduit

60,732, p <0.001). On multivariable analysis receipt of Sunshine payment (adjusted median difference

Clinical and Radiological Risk Factors Predicting Open Surgical Repair in Pediatric Patients With Dilating Vesicoureteral Reflux

5,844, 95% CI 937–10,749) and oncology specialty (adjusted median difference

Sacral neuromodulation of nociceptive bladder overactivity in cats

34,380, 95% CI 26,715–42,045) were independently associated with total Medicare reimbursement for denosumab. Conclusions: In the case of degarelix and denosumab there is a weak association between pharmaceutical company payments and prescriber prescription behavior patterns.

Urology Payments from Industry in the Sunshine Act

Under the Sunshine Act, pharmaceutical and product industry payments to physicians are reported in a public database. We sought to characterize payments received by pediatricians in the first full year of disclosures in 2014. We used the National Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Open Payment files to identify pediatricians who received payments. Payment characteristics were stratified, and descriptive statistical analysis was performed, including mean, median, and ranges of payments. Between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2014, 35 697 pediatricians received payments amounting to

Manufacturing and the Market: Rationalizing the Shortage of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin

30 031 960. General pediatricians received the majority of payments (71%). Median payment was

Direction of Rotation in Testicular Torsion and Identification of Predictors of Testicular Salvage

15 (interquartile range =