A prominent Houston transplant surgeon has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly falsifying medical records, which prevented five critically ill patients from receiving potentially life-saving liver transplants. Three of those patients subsequently died while awaiting surgery.
Federal Charges and Allegations
Dr John Stevenson Bynon Jr, who served as director of abdominal organ transplantation and surgical director for liver transplantation at Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston, was indicted by a grand jury in January on five counts of making false statements relating to healthcare matters. The indictment, made public on Thursday, alleges that between March 2023 and March 2024, Dr Bynon altered patient records in ways that made them ineligible to receive donor organ offers.
Patient Impact and Tragic Outcomes
According to court documents, the consequences of these alleged actions were devastating. One patient was rendered ineligible for approximately 149 days and died in February 2024 while under Dr Bynon's care. Another patient became ineligible for around 69 days and died during surgery in December 2023 while attempting to receive a new liver. A third patient, who required urgent liver transplantation, died just two days after Dr Bynon allegedly entered false donor matching criteria that severely restricted or functionally eliminated their eligibility for a lifesaving organ offer.
Two other patients managed to receive successful liver transplants only after seeking treatment at different hospitals. The indictment reveals that patients, their families, and other members of their medical care teams were unaware that false statements had allegedly been entered into their medical records.
Prosecution Statement and Defence Response
Nicholas J Ganjei, speaking for the prosecution, stated in a release: "Dr Bynon is alleged to have betrayed the most sacred duty of a medical professional – to heal. He stole years and hope from those who trusted him most by falsifying records and preventing patients from receiving organ transplants."
Following Dr Bynon's initial court appearance on Thursday afternoon, his attorney Samy Khalil told reporters outside the federal courthouse that his client was a talented organ transplant surgeon who has performed more than 2,000 transplants over his 40-year career. "Nothing he did was unlawful," Khalil asserted. "Everything that he did was lawful and in good faith. We look forward to clearing his name in a court of law and educating, frankly, the government on the medical concepts that undergird this totally, totally misguided prosecution."
Institutional Fallout and Legal Proceedings
The indictment and accompanying news release from the US Attorney's Office in Houston did not specify a motive for why Dr Bynon allegedly altered patient records. A spokesperson for the US attorney's office declined to comment further on the ongoing case.
Memorial Hermann Health System and UTHealth Houston, which employs Dr Bynon, did not immediately respond to emails requesting comment about the indictment. This case follows significant institutional consequences: after accusations against Dr Bynon were first made public in April 2024, Memorial Hermann shut down its liver and kidney transplant program, only reactivating it a year later.
Regulatory Action and Civil Lawsuits
In February 2025, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, which manages the country's organ donation program, declared Memorial Hermann to be a member not in good standing. This designation represents the most severe action the transplantation network can take, indicating to the public that a member institution has demonstrated serious lapses in patient safety or quality of care.
Meanwhile, the families of several patients who died while waiting for liver transplants have filed civil lawsuits against Dr Bynon in Houston courts. These lawsuits seek to determine whether their loved ones were denied liver transplants due to his alleged actions, and they remain pending as legal proceedings continue.
Potential Consequences and Broader Implications
If convicted on all counts, Dr Bynon faces up to five years in federal prison for each charge. The case has raised significant questions about oversight within transplant programs and the mechanisms for ensuring patient safety in critical medical situations where timing can mean the difference between life and death.
The allegations represent one of the most serious breaches of medical ethics in recent transplant medicine history, highlighting the extraordinary trust placed in transplant surgeons and the catastrophic consequences when that trust is allegedly violated. As the legal process unfolds, the medical community and regulatory bodies will be watching closely for outcomes that could influence transplant program protocols nationwide.
