Otolaryngologists Trail Other Specialties in Industry Payments From Dermal Filler Companies

Objectives/Hypothesis Dermal filler (DF) is a widely used nonsurgical option for facial rejuvenation with a rapidly expanding market. Physician payments by DF industry leaders have yet to be characterized. We sought to investigate trends in physician-industry payments by DF companies over 6 years. Differences in payments based on physician specialty and time were characterized. Study Design Database review. Methods The Open Payments Database was queried from 2013 to 2018. Payments made by the three largest DF companies by market share to otolaryngologists, plastic surgeons, and dermatologists were analyzed. Total dollars paid, number of payments made, type of payments made, and total number of specialists paid were recorded. One-way ANOVA was used for statistical analysis. Results Otolaryngologists, plastic surgeons, and dermatologists received average annual payments of $0.36 million, $6.3 million, and $6.6 million respectively (P < .001). An average of 330 otolaryngologists, 2,128 plastic surgeons, and 5,980 dermatologists were paid annually (P < .001). Accredited speaking arrangements, consulting fees, and royalty/licensing fees comprised the majority of dollars paid to physicians. Conclusions Average physician payment by DF companies exceeds $12 million annually, with otolaryngologists receiving significantly less compared to plastic surgeons and dermatologists. Level of Evidence Not applicable Laryngoscope, 2021

Automated summary

This study investigated trends in physician-industry payments by dermal filler companies over 6 years, finding that the average annual payments were $0.36 million for otolaryngologists, $6.3 million for plastic surgeons, and $6.6 million for dermatologists, with plastic surgeons and dermatologists receiving significantly higher payments compared to otolaryngologists.