In 2007, four medical device companies, Zimmer, Inc, Depuy Orthopaedics, Inc, Biomet, Inc, and Smith and Nephew, Inc, reached financial settlements totaling $311 million with the Dept. of Justice to avoided criminal prosecution over financial inducements paid to surgeons. There was no admission of wrong doing with the settlements. However, the companies agreed to corporate compliance procedures and federal monitoring, according to Department of Justice orders.

The four companies also executed Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPAs), which will expire in 18 months if they meet all of their respective reform requirements.

Stryker Orthopedics, Inc., which was not involved in any financial settlements, voluntarily cooperated with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and completed a Non-Prosecution Agreement (NPA) with the government, under which Stryker is required to implement all the reforms imposed on the other companies under the DPAs, including 18 months of federal monitoring.

As part of the DPA, all new consulting agreements require physicians to disclose financial arrangements with any company to their patients. The companies are required to disclose the name of each consultant and what they have been paid. This is required to be listed on the company website in an easily accessible fashion.

The Association for Ethics in Spine Surgery has combined these reports into one searchable database in order to show compensation that doctors have received from each company. Below you can enter a doctor’s name and search if they are listed as a company consultant, and, if they are, see the amount of compensation they were paid.