Healthcare provider profile · identity verified

Michael Z Pearson, MD

Allopathic & Osteopathic Physicians|Internal Medicine · JOHNSON CITY, TN · NPI 1023067378

Profile state: payments and partd Open Payments: 2025 Medicare Part D: 2024 Last identity check: 2026-08-10 Page data build: 2026-08-12

Verified facts

What the public records show

CMS Open Payments records show Michael Z Pearson, MD received $802.21 in general payments during 2025 across 43 reported records.

ABBVIE INC. accounted for 24.6% of that reported general-payment amount.

The Open Payments records used for this analysis explicitly named 26 associated products.

A separate comparison found the same explicitly named product in public Medicare Part D data: Eliquis, Jardiance, Ozempic, Synthroid, Vraylar.

ABBVIE INC. reported payments to this doctor in 2025. Across the 2025 Open Payments General Payment records loaded for this analysis, that same reporting entity reported SYNTHROID as an associated drug or biological on 10655 records involving 4881 distinct recipient NPIs. Public Medicare Part D data also shows 26 claims for Synthroid by this doctor in 2024.

ABBVIE INC. reported payments to this doctor in 2025. Across the 2025 Open Payments General Payment records loaded for this analysis, that same reporting entity reported VRAYLAR as an associated drug or biological on 377741 records involving 62704 distinct recipient NPIs. Public Medicare Part D data also shows 13 claims for Vraylar by this doctor in 2024.

AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP reported payments to this doctor in 2025. Across the 2025 Open Payments General Payment records loaded for this analysis, that same reporting entity reported BRILINTA as an associated drug or biological on 993 records involving 512 distinct recipient NPIs. Public Medicare Part D data also shows 12 claims for Brilinta by this doctor in 2024.

AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP reported payments to this doctor in 2025. Across the 2025 Open Payments General Payment records loaded for this analysis, that same reporting entity reported FARXIGA as an associated drug or biological on 106133 records involving 42906 distinct recipient NPIs. Public Medicare Part D data also shows 26 claims for Farxiga by this doctor in 2024.

E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C. reported payments to this doctor in 2025. Across the 2025 Open Payments General Payment records loaded for this analysis, that same reporting entity reported ELIQUIS as an associated drug or biological on 27956 records involving 14870 distinct recipient NPIs. Public Medicare Part D data also shows 133 claims for Eliquis by this doctor in 2024.

Lilly USA, LLC reported payments to this doctor in 2025. Across the 2025 Open Payments General Payment records loaded for this analysis, that same reporting entity reported JARDIANCE as an associated drug or biological on 47708 records involving 23833 distinct recipient NPIs. Public Medicare Part D data also shows 11 claims for Jardiance by this doctor in 2024.

Lilly USA, LLC reported payments to this doctor in 2025. Across the 2025 Open Payments General Payment records loaded for this analysis, that same reporting entity reported TRULICITY as an associated drug or biological on 71 records involving 57 distinct recipient NPIs. Public Medicare Part D data also shows 123 claims for Trulicity by this doctor in 2024.

Novo Nordisk Inc reported payments to this doctor in 2025. Across the 2025 Open Payments General Payment records loaded for this analysis, that same reporting entity reported Ozempic as an associated drug or biological on 261625 records involving 77793 distinct recipient NPIs. Public Medicare Part D data also shows 50 claims for Ozempic by this doctor in 2024.

PFIZER INC. reported payments to this doctor in 2025. Across the 2025 Open Payments General Payment records loaded for this analysis, that same reporting entity reported ELIQUIS as an associated drug or biological on 87112 records involving 36032 distinct recipient NPIs. Public Medicare Part D data also shows 133 claims for Eliquis by this doctor in 2024.

PFIZER INC. reported payments to this doctor in 2025. Across the 2025 Open Payments General Payment records loaded for this analysis, that same reporting entity reported PAXLOVID as an associated drug or biological on 24465 records involving 15715 distinct recipient NPIs. Public Medicare Part D data also shows 16 claims for Paxlovid by this doctor in 2024.

These records do not establish that a payment influenced prescribing or medical care.

Payment overview · 2025

General Payments

$802.21

43 reported records · 16 companies

Separate record types

Research & Ownership

Research Payments (direct recipient): not present in the loaded data

Associated Research Funding (for example, named PI): not present in the loaded data

Ownership / Investment: not present in the loaded data

These categories are never added into the General Payments headline. Associated research funding must not be described as money the doctor personally received unless the source record supports that conclusion.

Who paid this doctor?

Companies in 2025 General Payments

Reported companyCanonical companyAmountShareRecordsYear
ABBVIE INC. Unresolved — no canonical attribution shown $197.4124.6%122025
Novo Nordisk Inc Unresolved — no canonical attribution shown $93.9811.7%52025
PFIZER INC. Unresolved — no canonical attribution shown $83.4710.4%52025
Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC Unresolved — no canonical attribution shown $72.659.1%32025
Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Unresolved — no canonical attribution shown $69.958.7%32025
Lilly USA, LLC Unresolved — no canonical attribution shown $50.616.3%32025
VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED Unresolved — no canonical attribution shown $46.195.8%22025
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP Unresolved — no canonical attribution shown $44.505.5%22025
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc. Unresolved — no canonical attribution shown $23.432.9%12025
Inspire Medical Systems, Inc. Unresolved — no canonical attribution shown $21.752.7%12025
Axsome Therapeutics, Inc. Unresolved — no canonical attribution shown $20.092.5%12025
SANOFI PASTEUR INC. Unresolved — no canonical attribution shown $19.592.4%12025
Amgen Inc. Unresolved — no canonical attribution shown $18.602.3%12025
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C. Unresolved — no canonical attribution shown $15.681.9%12025
Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Unresolved — no canonical attribution shown $12.591.6%12025
Dynavax Technologies Corporation Unresolved — no canonical attribution shown $11.721.5%12025

What were the payments for?

Payment categories

CategoryAmountRecords
Food and Beverage$802.2143

A meal, consulting fee, royalty, and travel payment describe different kinds of reported relationships and should not be interpreted as equivalent.

Analysis 1 · Payment-linked products

Products named in Open Payments records

Reported productTypeReported companyRelated amount*RecordsYear
UBRELVY
Normalized: ubrelvy
Drug ABBVIE INC. $129.00 7 2025
Source payment records
QULIPTA
Normalized: qulipta
Drug ABBVIE INC. $116.27 6 2025
Source payment records
Ozempic
Normalized: ozempic
Drug Novo Nordisk Inc $75.53 4 2025
Source payment records
XIFAXAN
Normalized: xifaxan
Drug Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC $72.65 3 2025
Source payment records
  • 2025-04-07 · Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC · $23.65 · Open Payments source
  • 2025-09-02 · Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC · $24.27 · Open Payments source
  • 2025-11-03 · Salix Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC · $24.73 · Open Payments source
GVOKE HYPOPEN
Normalized: gvoke hypopen
Drug Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc. $69.95 3 2025
Source payment records
ELIQUIS
Normalized: eliquis
Drug E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C., PFIZER INC. $67.24 4 2025
Source payment records
NURTEC ODT
Normalized: nurtec odt
Drug PFIZER INC. $65.46 4 2025
Source payment records
JOURNAVX
Normalized: journavx
Drug VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INCORPORATED $46.19 2 2025
Source payment records
AIRSUPRA
Normalized: airsupra
Drug AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP $44.50 2 2025
Source payment records
VRAYLAR
Normalized: vraylar
Drug ABBVIE INC. $41.73 4 2025
Source payment records
MOUNJARO
Normalized: mounjaro
Drug Lilly USA, LLC $35.82 2 2025
Source payment records
ZEPBOUND
Normalized: zepbound
Drug Lilly USA, LLC $35.82 2 2025
Source payment records
Rybelsus
Normalized: rybelsus
Drug Novo Nordisk Inc $34.96 2 2025
Source payment records
SYNTHROID
Normalized: synthroid
Drug ABBVIE INC. $26.68 1 2025
Source payment records
Kerendia
Normalized: kerendia
Drug Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc. $23.43 1 2025
Source payment records
INSPIRE
Normalized: inspire
Device Inspire Medical Systems, Inc. $21.75 1 2025
Source payment records
Auvelity
Normalized: auvelity
Drug Axsome Therapeutics, Inc. $20.09 1 2025
Source payment records
FLUBLOK QUADRIVALENT NORTHERN HEMISPHERE
Normalized: flublok quadrivalent northern hemisphere
Biological SANOFI PASTEUR INC. $19.59 1 2025
Source payment records
EVENITY
Normalized: evenity
Biological Amgen Inc. $18.60 1 2025
Source payment records
Wegovy
Normalized: wegovy
Drug Novo Nordisk Inc $18.45 1 2025
Source payment records
ABRYSVO
Normalized: abrysvo
Biological PFIZER INC. $18.01 1 2025
Source payment records
COMIRNATY
Normalized: comirnaty
Biological PFIZER INC. $18.01 1 2025
Source payment records
JARDIANCE
Normalized: jardiance
Drug Lilly USA, LLC $14.79 1 2025
Source payment records
ZAVZPRET
Normalized: zavzpret
Drug PFIZER INC. $13.90 1 2025
Source payment records
VOQUEZNA
Normalized: voquezna
Drug Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc. $12.59 1 2025
Source payment records
Heplisav-B
Normalized: heplisav b
Drug Dynavax Technologies Corporation $11.72 1 2025
Source payment records

* Product-associated amounts are non-additive because one payment record may name more than one product.

These products were named on specific Open Payments records. A named product does not show that the payment influenced treatment or prescribing.

Public prescribing for products named in payments

Open Payments productPayment yearPart D brandPart D yearClaimsMatch methodSource
ELIQUIS
eliquis
2025 Eliquis 2024 133 exact normalized Medicare Part D
JARDIANCE
jardiance
2025 Jardiance 2024 11
Beneficiary count suppressed
exact normalized Medicare Part D
Ozempic
ozempic
2025 Ozempic 2024 50 exact normalized Medicare Part D
SYNTHROID
synthroid
2025 Synthroid 2024 26
Beneficiary count suppressed
exact normalized Medicare Part D
VRAYLAR
vraylar
2025 Vraylar 2024 13
Beneficiary count suppressed
exact normalized Medicare Part D

The presence of the same drug in both datasets does not show that a payment caused or influenced a prescription.

Analysis 2 · Same-company prescribing overlap

Drugs reported in other payments from the same company that also appear in Medicare Part D

This analysis is independent from products named on this doctor’s individual payment records. A row appears only when the exact Open Payments reporting entity paid this doctor, that same reporting entity reported the drug or biological on at least 10 loaded General Payment records involving at least 2 distinct recipient NPIs, and this doctor has the same non-generic brand in public Part D data. This does not mean the company owns or manufactures the drug.

Paying companyPayment yearDrug reported by same entityOpen Payments evidencePart DClaimsBeneficiaries
ABBVIE INC.
Exact reporting entity; no affiliate inference
2025 SYNTHROID
open payments reported associated product
CMS Open Payments — General Payments
10655 supporting records · 4881 recipient NPIs · example record 1201352636
Synthroid · 2024
Exact normalized brand match · 1 Part D row
26 suppressed by CMS
ABBVIE INC.
Exact reporting entity; no affiliate inference
2025 VRAYLAR
open payments reported associated product
CMS Open Payments — General Payments
377741 supporting records · 62704 recipient NPIs · example record 1201352550
Vraylar · 2024
Exact normalized brand match · 1 Part D row
13 suppressed by CMS
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
Exact reporting entity; no affiliate inference
2025 BRILINTA
open payments reported associated product
CMS Open Payments — General Payments
993 supporting records · 512 recipient NPIs · example record 1206131430
Brilinta · 2024
Exact normalized brand match · 1 Part D row
12 suppressed by CMS
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
Exact reporting entity; no affiliate inference
2025 FARXIGA
open payments reported associated product
CMS Open Payments — General Payments
106133 supporting records · 42906 recipient NPIs · example record 1206131362
Farxiga · 2024
Exact normalized brand match · 1 Part D row
26 suppressed by CMS
E.R. Squibb & Sons, L.L.C.
Exact reporting entity; no affiliate inference
2025 ELIQUIS
open payments reported associated product
CMS Open Payments — General Payments
27956 supporting records · 14870 recipient NPIs · example record 1184377713
Eliquis · 2024
Exact normalized brand match · 1 Part D row
133 29
Lilly USA, LLC
Exact reporting entity; no affiliate inference
2025 JARDIANCE
open payments reported associated product
CMS Open Payments — General Payments
47708 supporting records · 23833 recipient NPIs · example record 1186464557
Jardiance · 2024
Exact normalized brand match · 1 Part D row
11 suppressed by CMS
Lilly USA, LLC
Exact reporting entity; no affiliate inference
2025 TRULICITY
open payments reported associated product
CMS Open Payments — General Payments
71 supporting records · 57 recipient NPIs · example record 1186464601
Trulicity · 2024
Exact normalized brand match · 1 Part D row
123 16
Novo Nordisk Inc
Exact reporting entity; no affiliate inference
2025 Ozempic
open payments reported associated product
CMS Open Payments — General Payments
261625 supporting records · 77793 recipient NPIs · example record 1188130076
Ozempic · 2024
Exact normalized brand match · 1 Part D row
50 14
PFIZER INC.
Exact reporting entity; no affiliate inference
2025 ELIQUIS
open payments reported associated product
CMS Open Payments — General Payments
87112 supporting records · 36032 recipient NPIs · example record 1228794063
Eliquis · 2024
Exact normalized brand match · 1 Part D row
133 29
PFIZER INC.
Exact reporting entity; no affiliate inference
2025 PAXLOVID
open payments reported associated product
CMS Open Payments — General Payments
24465 supporting records · 15715 recipient NPIs · example record 1228794432
Paxlovid · 2024
Exact normalized brand match · 1 Part D row
16 16

These facts do not show that a payment was for the drug, that the company owns or manufactures the drug, or that a payment caused or influenced prescribing.

Public Medicare Part D data

Provider-and-drug rows loaded for 2024

BrandGenericClaimsBeneficiaries
Losartan PotassiumLosartan Potassium550145
Atorvastatin CalciumAtorvastatin Calcium549136
Amlodipine BesylateAmlodipine Besylate462123
Rosuvastatin CalciumRosuvastatin Calcium426131
OmeprazoleOmeprazole416111
Levothyroxine SodiumLevothyroxine Sodium37688
LisinoprilLisinopril37395
HydrochlorothiazideHydrochlorothiazide29475
Potassium ChloridePotassium Chloride28877
GabapentinGabapentin24958
Montelukast SodiumMontelukast Sodium24864
Sertraline HclSertraline Hcl21550
Tamsulosin HclTamsulosin Hcl21061
CelecoxibCelecoxib19059
Pantoprazole SodiumPantoprazole Sodium15042
Metoprolol SuccinateMetoprolol Succinate14243
Metformin HclMetformin Hcl14039
EliquisApixaban13329
Tizanidine HclTizanidine Hcl12846
Metoprolol TartrateMetoprolol Tartrate12336
TrulicityDulaglutide12316
Alendronate SodiumAlendronate Sodium11330
ClopidogrelClopidogrel Bisulfate11323
MeloxicamMeloxicam11336
Trazodone HclTrazodone Hcl11330
FamotidineFamotidine10531
FurosemideFurosemide10225
SimvastatinSimvastatin10025
Donepezil HclDonepezil Hcl9723
Fluticasone PropionateFluticasone Propionate9531
Pravastatin SodiumPravastatin Sodium9023
Tramadol HclTramadol Hcl9018
AllopurinolAllopurinol8918
Ciprofloxacin HclCiprofloxacin Hcl7356
MethylprednisoloneMethylprednisolone7262
Metformin Hcl ErMetformin Hcl6619
PrednisonePrednisone6642
Duloxetine HclDuloxetine Hcl6418
Fluoxetine HclFluoxetine Hcl6414
LovastatinLovastatin6116
FenofibrateFenofibrate,micronized6014
Fluticasone-SalmeterolFluticasone Propion/Salmeterol5915
Glipizide ErGlipizide5918
Memantine Hcl ErMemantine Hcl57suppressed
Albuterol Sulfate HfaAlbuterol Sulfate5620
Escitalopram OxalateEscitalopram Oxalate5615
MirtazapineMirtazapine5613
Dicyclomine HclDicyclomine Hcl55suppressed
AtenololAtenolol5415
PregabalinPregabalin53suppressed
Venlafaxine Hcl ErVenlafaxine Hcl5314
Terazosin HclTerazosin Hcl5212
Bupropion XlBupropion Hcl5017
CarvedilolCarvedilol5015
OzempicSemaglutide5014
CefdinirCefdinir4638
GemfibrozilGemfibrozil45suppressed
XareltoRivaroxaban45suppressed
PrimidonePrimidone44suppressed
Amoxicillin-Clavulanate PotassAmoxicillin/Potassium Clav4035
FluconazoleFluconazole3827
Solifenacin SuccinateSolifenacin Succinate38suppressed
Ibandronate SodiumIbandronate Sodium37suppressed
Ondansetron OdtOndansetron3716
Hydralazine HclHydralazine Hcl3612
Paroxetine HclParoxetine Hcl36suppressed
ShingrixVaricella-Zoster Ge/As01b/Pf3630
Sulfamethoxazole-TrimethoprimSulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim3630
Esomeprazole MagnesiumEsomeprazole Magnesium34suppressed
Warfarin SodiumWarfarin Sodium34suppressed
Triamterene-HydrochlorothiazidTriamterene/Hydrochlorothiazid32suppressed
AzithromycinAzithromycin3131
FinasterideFinasteride29suppressed
Isosorbide Mononitrate ErIsosorbide Mononitrate29suppressed
Carbidopa-LevodopaCarbidopa/Levodopa27suppressed
Humalog Kwikpen U-100Insulin Lispro27suppressed
Levocetirizine DihydrochlorideLevocetirizine Dihydrochloride2711
Benazepril HclBenazepril Hcl26suppressed
Doxycycline HyclateDoxycycline Hyclate2613
EzetimibeEzetimibe26suppressed
FarxigaDapagliflozin Propanediol26suppressed
Lisinopril-HydrochlorothiazideLisinopril/Hydrochlorothiazide26suppressed
SynthroidLevothyroxine Sodium26suppressed
ClonazepamClonazepam25suppressed
JanuviaSitagliptin Phosphate25suppressed
Lantus SolostarInsulin Glargine,hum.Rec.Anlog25suppressed
LevetiracetamLevetiracetam25suppressed
Meclizine HclMeclizine Hcl2511
SpironolactoneSpironolactone25suppressed
Citalopram HbrCitalopram Hydrobromide24suppressed
Cyanocobalamin InjectionCyanocobalamin (Vitamin B-12)23suppressed
LantusInsulin Glargine,hum.Rec.Anlog23suppressed
LevofloxacinLevofloxacin2319
Promethazine HclPromethazine Hcl23suppressed
Ropinirole HclRopinirole Hcl23suppressed
NitrofurantoinNitrofurantoin Macrocrystal22suppressed
Olmesartan MedoxomilOlmesartan Medoxomil22suppressed
DutasterideDutasteride21suppressed
FenofibrateFenofibrate Nanocrystallized21suppressed
HavrixHepatitis A Virus Vaccine/Pf2018
Hydrocodone-AcetaminophenHydrocodone/Acetaminophen2013
Diltiazem 24hr Er (Cd)Diltiazem Hcl19suppressed
Wixela InhubFluticasone Propion/Salmeterol19suppressed
AripiprazoleAripiprazole18suppressed
EstradiolEstradiol18suppressed
Oxybutynin ChlorideOxybutynin Chloride18suppressed
Quetiapine FumarateQuetiapine Fumarate18suppressed
Testosterone CypionateTestosterone Cypionate18suppressed
TopiramateTopiramate18suppressed
Trelegy ElliptaFluticasone/Umeclidin/Vilanter18suppressed
AlprazolamAlprazolam17suppressed
Cyclobenzaprine HclCyclobenzaprine Hcl17suppressed
ValacyclovirValacyclovir Hcl1715
MetronidazoleMetronidazole1615
PaxlovidNirmatrelvir/Ritonavir1616
BaclofenBaclofen15suppressed
Bydureon BciseExenatide Microspheres15suppressed
FenofibrateFenofibrate15suppressed
GlimepirideGlimepiride15suppressed
HaloperidolHaloperidol15suppressed
AcyclovirAcyclovir14suppressed
Colestipol HclColestipol Hcl14suppressed
Propranolol HclPropranolol Hcl14suppressed
SotalolSotalol Hcl14suppressed
SucralfateSucralfate1411
Sumatriptan SuccinateSumatriptan Succinate14suppressed
ColchicineColchicine13suppressed
Demeclocycline HclDemeclocycline Hcl13suppressed
Losartan-HydrochlorothiazideLosartan/Hydrochlorothiazide13suppressed
NexletolBempedoic Acid13suppressed
Pen NeedlesPen Needle, Diabetic13suppressed
RamelteonRamelteon13suppressed
VraylarCariprazine Hcl13suppressed
Amlodipine Besylate-BenazeprilAmlodipine Besylate/Benazepril12suppressed
Benztropine MesylateBenztropine Mesylate12suppressed
BrilintaTicagrelor12suppressed
Divalproex Sodium ErDivalproex Sodium12suppressed
MisoprostolMisoprostol12suppressed
NuedextaDextromethorphan Hbr/Quinidine12suppressed
Oxybutynin Chloride ErOxybutynin Chloride12suppressed
RamiprilRamipril12suppressed
Repatha SureclickEvolocumab12suppressed
Tiotropium BromideTiotropium Bromide12suppressed
TorsemideTorsemide12suppressed
Varenicline TartrateVarenicline Tartrate12suppressed
Verapamil ErVerapamil Hcl12suppressed
Adacel TdapDiph,pertuss(Acell),tet Vac/Pf1111
CaplytaLumateperone Tosylate11suppressed
Clobetasol PropionateClobetasol Propionate11suppressed
Doxazosin MesylateDoxazosin Mesylate11suppressed
Folic AcidFolic Acid11suppressed
Humulin 70/30 KwikpenInsulin Nph Hum/Reg Insulin Hm11suppressed
Insulin Lispro Kwikpen U-100Insulin Lispro11suppressed
JardianceEmpagliflozin11suppressed
Metoclopramide HclMetoclopramide Hcl11suppressed
Spiriva HandihalerTiotropium Bromide11suppressed

Timeline

Payment and prescribing data by year

Open Payments and Medicare Part D may refer to different years. They are shown separately rather than aligned as if they describe the same period.

YearGeneral PaymentsMain payerExplicit productsCompany overlapsPart D coverage
2025 $802.21 · 43 records ABBVIE INC. ABRYSVO, AIRSUPRA, Auvelity, COMIRNATY, ELIQUIS, EVENITY, FLUBLOK QUADRIVALENT NORTHERN HEMISPHERE, GVOKE HYPOPEN, Heplisav-B, INSPIRE, JARDIANCE, JOURNAVX, Kerendia, MOUNJARO, NURTEC ODT, Ozempic, QULIPTA, Rybelsus, SYNTHROID, UBRELVY, VOQUEZNA, VRAYLAR, Wegovy, XIFAXAN, ZAVZPRET, ZEPBOUND 10
2024 Complete

Questions to ask

Questions you could discuss with your doctor

These are general questions generated from reviewed templates. They are not personalized medical advice.

Sources and limitations

How to read this page

Loaded source releases

DatasetYearPublicationSource
CMS Open Payments — General Payments 2025 2026-06-30 Original source
Medicare Part D Prescribers by Provider and Drug 2024 2026-05-06 Original source
NPPES Data Dissemination V2 current / reference data 2026-08-10 Original source

Methodology version: 2.1

Editorial template version: 2.4

Product contract version: 2.0

Schema version: 0.7.0

Page data build: 2026-08-12T23:34:59.370714+00:00

Publication policy: eligible for indexing after public-launch controls are enabled

Full methodology · Questions & answers · Report a possible error