Investigator Detail in Open Payments

ClinicalTrials.gov has become a widely used operational and research tool. ClinicalTrials.gov has now reached the credibility level that almost all major medical journals require clinical trials discussed in that specific journal be available in ClinicalTrials.gov. The level of missing data for these mandatory variables, with one major exception, rarely exceed 2-3%. This exception is investigator detail. Not all sites are included or updated in ClinicalTrials.gov. Moreover, the data are rarely complete for the sites which are entered. For the sites in ClinicalTrials.gov, the country is almost always given. For US sites, the relevant zip code is frequently given.  Usually no other information is given, although the database does require that the name and address of the investigator be indicated.

Open Payments helps fill this information gap for US sites. Open Payments, mandated by the Sunshine Act, contains all the payments by pharmaceutical and medical devices manufacturers to certain healthcare professionals, including physicians. The payments are of two types, research payments and all other general transfers of value. With the research payments, it is possible to identify the specific clinical trial for which the respective research payments were made to the clinical investigators.

A Sanofi study illustrates the data available from Open Payments. Sanofi conducted a phase 3 study between 2013 and 2014 with US sites, with a study title:

An Open-label, Randomized, Parallel Group Study Assessing the Immunogenicity and Safety of Sarilumab Administered as Monotherapy in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Sanofi provided a listing of sites with zip codes to ClinicalTrials.gov, but no other public investigator identification information. Open Payments provided that detail for each investigator and identified three more physicians not listed in CT.gov. From Open Payments for each investigator we have the institutional or practice name, the physician’s name, exact address and specialty. The Sanofi detail can be replicated for a near census of US clinical trials. With Open Payments US investigator names and experience will become public knowledge.

Investigator Detail

Study NCT02121210

Physician

Address

City

State

Zip

JAIME PACHON

6141 SUNSET DR

SOUTH MIAMI

FL

33143-5028

DAKSHA MEHTA

584 WESTPORT RD

ELIZABETHTOWN

KY

42701-2987

ERDAL DIRI

400 BURDICK EXPY E

MINOT

ND

58701-4768

MOHAMMAD KHAN

1110 N LEE

OKLAHOMA CITY

OK

73103

ELLEN ZANETAKIS

1430 TERRACE DR

TULSA

OK

74104-4626

ALAN KIVITZ

175 MEADOWBROOK LN

DUNCANSVILLE

PA

16635-8445

Jacob Aelion

371 N PARKWAY

JACKSON

TN

38305-2891

CONSTANTINE SAADEH

6842 PLUM CREEK DR

AMARILLO

TX

79124-1601

ATUL SINGHAL

1600 REPUBLIC PARKWAY

MESQUITE

TX

75150-6919

SHELLY KAFKA

399 EMILY DR

CLARKSBURG

WV

26301-5505

Alvin Wells

4225 W OAKWOOD PARK COURT

FRANKLIN

WI

53132

MICHAEL FAIRFAX

2451 E BASELINE RD

GILBERT

AZ

85234-2471

Eric Lee

1238 E ARROW HWY

UPLAND

CA

91786-4951