Attorney General Ken Paxton on Monday warned Houston Methodist that it shouldn’t deny organ transplants to patients who haven’t received the COVID-19 vaccine, but the hospital said it is already complying with a new Texas law that prohibits such policies.
The law, known as House Bill 4076, went into effect on Sept. 1. It prohibits health care providers from denying an organ transplant and related services to a patient based solely on their vaccination status.
Paxton issued a letter on Monday that said his office had become aware of allegations that Houston Methodist was denying organ transplants to patients who hadn’t received the COVID-19 vaccine.
He gave the hospital an Oct. 27 deadline to provide a written explanation of steps the hospital is taking to ensure its policies are in line with the law, and said he would open a formal investigation if the hospital fails to respond.
“Texans looking to receive medical care should never be turned away due to arbitrary COVID-19 vaccine mandates imposed by woke medical providers,” Paxton said in a statement.
The new Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital is photographed in Cypress, Friday, March 7, 2025. (Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle)
Houston Methodist said in a statement that the hospital is following the new law. Since the law took effect, the hospital has not denied any organ transplants to patients because they are unvaccinated, a Houston Methodist spokesperson said.
“Houston Methodist does not have a policy requiring transplant patients be vaccinated against COVID-19, or any other disease, and does not deny care based on vaccination status,” the hospital said in the statement.
Houston Methodist has previously been at the center of controversies involving the COVID-19 vaccine. The hospital in 2021 became the first in the nation to require a COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of employment, though it allowed employees to request a medical or religious exemption.
More than 150 employees were fired or resigned after the requirement took effect, and 117 employees subsequently filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the hospital. A federal judge tossed the suit, and an appeals court upheld the dismissal.
This article originally published at Ken Paxton warns Houston Methodist in letter over vaccine policies for organ transplants.