Liver and kidney transplants halted at Houston hospital

A Houston hospital has halted its liver and kidney transplant programs after it says a doctor manipulated a database for liver transplant patients, making them ineligible to receive a new organ.

Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center said in a statement Friday that its ongoing investigation found that a doctor made “inappropriate changes” in a database for people awaiting liver transplants.

Memorial Hermann’s statement didn’t name the doctor, but the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, or UTHealth Houston, issued a statement defending Dr. Steve Bynon, calling him “an exceptionally talented and caring physician” with survival rates that are “among the best in the nation.”

Bynon is an employee of UTHealth Houston who is contracted to Memorial Hermann. UTHealth said its faculty and staff, including Bynon, are assisting with the inquiry into Memorial Hermann’s liver transplant program and are “committed to addressing and resolving any findings identified by this process.”

Memorial Hermann said a doctor made changes to the donor acceptance criteria, which includes factors like the age and weight of the deceased donors. The hospital said the inappropriate changes were only made to the liver transplant program, but since there is shared leadership over both the liver and kidney transplant programs, they inactivated both.

Memorial Hermann said in a statement Thursday to The New York Times that a doctor in the liver transplant program admitted to changing patient records. The newspaper identified the doctor as Bynon.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement that it was “working across the department to address this matter.” The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network said it “cannot comment on any potential or ongoing review of a member organization.”

Memorial Hermann said it has been working with patients who were on the lists to ensure they get the care they need, including being transitioned to another transplant program if necessary. Memorial Hermann also said it was working with UTHealth Houston to make changes so it can reactivate the program under different leadership.