Five Years After Covid-19: Doctors in Texas Face Persecution for Caring for Patients
In Texas, instead of being honored, doctors like Mary Tully Borden and Eric Hensen are under scrutiny from the Texas Medical Board, which threatens their licenses. Meanwhile, critical legislative sessions aimed at addressing these issues seem to have been overlooked.
Dr. Borden, an esteemed ear, nose, and throat specialist from Houston, has managed to treat many COVID patients. Sadly, not everyone has been as fortunate. Take Jason Jones, a Tarrant County Sheriff Deputy and father of six, whose life was tragically cut short at a Houston hospital. Hospital staff obstructed his wife’s efforts to get him Ivermectin, preventing Borden from stepping in when he was deemed a lost cause.
Texas Health Hagley Hospital fought Erin Jones, Jason’s wife, at every turn in late 2021. Though hospital doctors had no recovery plan for Jason, they were insistent on blocking any alternative treatments, even after a court allowed Dr. Borden to administer Ivermectin. They imposed various bureaucratic demands, including a list of her past surgeries and multiple letters of recommendation.
On November 10, Borden tried to send a nurse to help Jason with Ivermectin, but the hospital staff denied entry. They falsely claimed that an appeal court had upheld a previous ruling, while neither Borden nor her team received any such notice. Consequently, the nurse was turned away before she could even reach the ICU.
Jason Jones never received the treatment he needed—his health deteriorated to the point where he lost half his weight, eventually leading to his death in 2023. The hospital’s actions contributed to this tragic outcome.
The Landscape of Licensing Punishments
Jason’s story echoes those of countless others throughout the pandemic. Instead of supporting the doctors who risked everything to save lives, lawmakers seem to have chosen a different path. Dr. Borden, rather than being praised, has found herself facing complaints from the Texas Medical Board due to a supposed “confusion” in the ICU—even though her lawyer provided proper notice before her intervention.
Borden has refused to comply with fines or to attend forced medical education hours while the board relentlessly pursues sanctions against her. She has faced significant financial impact and has dedicated countless hours to defending her practice while continuing her patient care. Without intervention from Governor Greg Abbott or the Texas Legislature, her medical license remains at risk.
During a recent hearing, Borden attempted to call Dr. Molly James, a Missouri ICU doctor, as a witness. However, the board rejected this, questioning her qualifications and instead scrutinizing Borden’s opinions on COVID-19 vaccines expressed on social media.
Fast forward four years since the pandemic’s most troubling failures became apparent, and Texas continues to penalize doctors like Borden who dared to advocate for their patients when others wouldn’t. The state’s legislature has wasted two entire sessions without taking steps to stop this ongoing situation, reminiscent of the heavy-handed tactics seen in California.
A Call for Accountability
State Senator Bob Hall has made several attempts to reform the Texas Medical Board. This year, he managed to pass SB 2422 through the Senate, which mandates that the board reverse all investigations and disciplinary actions against physicians who prescribed COVID treatments or opposed mask mandates. The bill also calls for the erasure of all related records and refunds of fines and legal costs.
Despite these efforts, Texas has yet to hold proper hearings on the matter. Abbott has remained silent, leaving many of these cases unresolved. Meanwhile, doctors like Eric Hensen, an ENT specialist who treated many COVID patients, are still in jeopardy of losing their licenses. Ironically, Hensen is facing scrutiny for adhering to Abbott’s original mask policies, while the same governor who issued those guidelines remains unaccountable.
The pandemic has truly exposed serious issues within the medical system. In Texas, political missteps seem to be undermining the efforts of those who prioritized patient care.
