Former Houston Methodist doctor accused of spreading COVID misinformation seeks financial records

A River Oaks doctor whom Houston Methodist Hospital suspended in November for spreading COVID-19 misinformation is turning to the legal system to obtain financial records from the medical institution, according to court records. Dr. Mary Talley Bowden, who resigned her privileges to admit patients after the temporary suspension, announced Monday that she would seek legal action against the hospital. A petition — similar to a records request — was later filed on her behalf to obtain documents related to any revenue the hospital has made in connection to its COVID-19 vaccination program and treatment of patients with coronavirus complications.

The suspension stemmed from Bowden urging against COVID-19 vaccines for children and those with natural immunity. On her Twitter account, she has promoted the unproven benefits for ivermectin, an anti-parasitic drug federal health officials have cautioned is not an approved treatment for the virus. The doctor, an ear, nose and throat specialist, had never admitted a patient to the hospital prior to her suspension, medical officials have said. At a news conference Monday outside Bowden’s private practice, she said the request for information followed repeated attempts by her and consultant Wayne Dolcefino to obtain the documents from the hospital. The petition filed in the 234th District Court cites the right to examine non-profit records through the state Business Organization code — which requires a nonprofit corporation to keep “records, books, and annual reports of the corporation’s financial activity” for at least three years. The hospital and THM Physician Organization are both nonprofits and named as defendants in the petition. It also asks for the following documents: Records detailing revenues related to the treatment of COVID-19 patients, contracts with pharmaceutical companies for COVID-19 related treatment, the pay of the hospital’s top executives, recent tax returns and bonuses to Methodist employees.