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Officials are investigating allegations that a liver transplant surgeon from the Memorial Hermann Medical Center manipulated a government database to prevent patients from receiving new livers, the New York Times reported.
The development comes days after the hospital system announced it’s effectively stopping the liver and kidney transplant programs because of a pattern of irregularities with donor acceptance criteria within the United Network for Organ Sharing database.
RELATED: Houston-based Memorial Hermann Hospital halts kidney, liver transplant programs
The medical center said Dr. J. Steve Bynon had admitted to changing patient records, according to The Times.
Reached by phone, multiple spokespersons for the hospital system said they couldn’t confirm any details of the allegations against Bynon reported by The Times and declined to immediately comment. In a Friday statement to Houston Public Media, the hospital system made no mention of an investigation.
“Our primary priority is ensuring continuity of compassionate care for patients who were on the transplant program lists at the hospital,” according to the statement. “Each patient is being individually contacted by a transplant care coordinator to review ongoing care options, including a seamless transition to another transplant program, where necessary.”
The criteria irregularities on the UNOS database were limited to the liver transplant program, but the kidney program was also halted because of a "shared leadership structure," according to a statement provided to Houston Public Media.
The University of Texas Health Science Center employed Bynon and defended allegations against him on Friday.
“Dr. Steve Bynon is an exceptionally talented and caring physician, and a pioneer in abdominal organ transplantation,” according to a UTHealth Houston statement. “Our faculty and staff members, including Dr. 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.”
The United Network for Organ Sharing is the contractor that operates the database under contract with the federal government.
“The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network takes patient safety very seriously,” UNOS said in a statement to Houston Public Media. "Per its bylaws, the OPTN cannot comment on any potential or ongoing review of a member organization."
This is a developing story.