Texas AG Paxton Issues Stark Warning to Houston Methodist Over Alleged COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates for Transplant Patients
AUSTIN, Texas – October 13, 2025 – In a bold move to safeguard patient rights, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has fired off a formal letter to Houston Methodist Hospital, demanding clarity on reports that the institution may be imposing COVID-19 vaccine requirements as a barrier to life-saving organ transplants. The action underscores Paxton’s ongoing crusade against what he views as unlawful medical mandates, echoing broader tensions between state protections and hospital protocols in the post-pandemic era.
The letter, released today by Paxton’s office, follows allegations that Houston Methodist’s transplant system could be denying organs to patients who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine. Such practices, Paxton argues, not only flout Texas law but also jeopardize access to critical procedures like kidney transplants for those in dire need.
“Texas law prohibits healthcare providers from denying organ transplants or related services solely because of a patient’s decision to receive or not receive a COVID-19 or other vaccination,” Paxton’s office stated in the release. The directive calls on the hospital to confirm whether its policies align with state statutes aimed at preventing vaccine-based discrimination against transplant candidates.
Paxton, a vocal critic of vaccine mandates since the height of the COVID-19 crisis, described the alleged requirements as “woke medical providers” imposing arbitrary preconditions that violate foundational principles of Texas medical ethics. “Vaccine mandates as a precondition for certain life-saving treatments may not only violate new state laws that became effective on September 1, but they also violate foundational principles of Texas’s medical ethics and position on vaccine mandates,” he wrote.
The attorney general has granted Houston Methodist 14 days to respond with a detailed explanation of its policies and compliance efforts. Failure to do so could trigger a formal investigation, signaling Paxton’s readiness to escalate if necessary. This step reflects his office’s pattern of swift action against perceived overreach, including previous challenges to federal and institutional vaccine rules that he deemed unconstitutional.
At the heart of the dispute is Texas Senate Bill 7, which took effect earlier this month and explicitly bans discrimination in healthcare services based on vaccination status. Proponents, including Paxton, hail it as a bulwark for individual freedoms, ensuring that no Texan is sidelined from essential care due to personal health choices. Critics, however, worry it could complicate public health efforts by emboldening vaccine hesitancy in high-risk settings like organ transplantation.
Houston Methodist, one of the state’s premier healthcare providers and a leader in transplant services, has not yet issued a public response to the letter. The hospital has long emphasized patient-centered care, but its alignment with national guidelines during the pandemic—such as recommending vaccinations for immunocompromised individuals—has drawn scrutiny from anti-mandate advocates.
This isn’t Paxton’s first clash with major Texas hospitals over COVID-19 policies. In 2021, his office supported legal challenges against Houston Methodist’s employee vaccine mandate, which ultimately prevailed in court but highlighted deep divisions over medical autonomy. Today’s warning extends that fight to patient care, framing organ access as a non-negotiable right.
As the 14-day clock ticks, all eyes are on Houston Methodist’s reply. For Paxton, this is more than a policy skirmish—it’s a commitment to “protecting the rights and freedoms of Texans by challenging unlawful vaccine mandates,” as his office put it. Whether this leads to broader enforcement or a quiet policy pivot remains to be seen, but it reignites a debate that many thought the pandemic had laid to rest.
For the full text of the letter, visit the Texas Attorney General’s website at texasattorneygeneral.gov.