Health care under siege — fighting foreign influence threatening Floridians’ health

In January of this year, former Florida House Speaker, U.S. Senator and then-nominee for Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a chilling statement in his remarks before confirmation:

“If we don’t change course, we are going to live in the world where much of what matters to us on a daily basis – from our security to our health will be dependent on whether the Chinese allow us to have it or not.”

Florida, like most states, has a pressing challenge that has been operating under the radar for far too long. Our health care system increasingly relies on technology, data and innovation. And that reality means we are under constant threat from hostile actors.

From cybercriminals backed by foreign adversaries to the sensitivity of patient data along with the severity of cascading effects, our health care system will continue to be targeted by those seeking to inflict harm.

Five years ago, it would have been a struggle to find even a small group sounding the alarm. Now, it is at the top of the list. Recent polling shows that 75% of Americans are concerned about importing Chinese medical devices, and 72% of Floridians say the U.S. is too dependent on this technology.

Floridians are rightly concerned – Chinese-made medical devices using any form of internet connection (think heart and blood pressure monitors, pumps, diagnostic equipment) allow unfettered access to intimate patient medical data. These medical devices can also manipulate the very equipment that health care professionals rely on to make life-or-death treatment decisions.

Our overreliance on Chinese-made medical devices integrated into our health care system means that, at any time, companies that operate under the authority of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) can be compelled to access data or cooperate with espionage efforts.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently issued warnings about Contec CMS800 patient monitors, saying that a backdoor had been discovered on the devices, which “may put patients at risk after being connected to the internet.” Contec is a medical device manufacturer based in Qinhuangdao, China.

But there’s an even larger and growing body of evidence. The well-respected Radiology Business News recently documented the broad and growing footprint of CCP-based medical device manufacturers in U.S. health systems, which prompted federal scrutiny. The news report detailed Chinese-headquartered medical device makers such as United Imaging, Neusoft, iRay and Mindray, among others, that are exhibiting an expanding presence in U.S. hospitals and at major industry shows.

The CCP-based Mindray monitoring system has been flagged for risky default network behavior that could expose patient monitors to overseas connections. Security analysts even highlighted that monitoring systems contact IP addresses outside the U.S., and that the CISA has identified this behavior as a potential security concern for remote code execution and data exposure.

And a recent news investigation even found that CCP-linked entities provided hardware for medical research funded by the Federal government at the National Institutes of Health.

The same Floridians concerned about our overreliance on Chinese-made medical devices also want government action to secure hospital networks, investments in trusted domestic manufacturing, and medical technology that comes from reliable, non-adversarial sources.

In fact, 81% of respondents said they would be more likely to support a candidate who cracks down on Chinese medical companies operating in the U.S., and 63% would back a candidate who supports restricting federal funding for hospitals using Chinese-made devices.

Earlier this year, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier brought a lawsuit against Contec under the state’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. While AG Uthmeier’s suit is a great step in the right direction and proof that states can join the fight, it’s just one way the Sunshine State can get Chinese medical devices out of the supply chain.

Our state’s policy leaders, in both the Legislature and executive, should take action to ensure zero state or federal funds flow to the CCP from Chinese medical devices from hospitals, Medicaid and state health funding.

States are the new battleground for combating infiltration by hostile foreign governments seeking to do us all harm. Florida is not immune to this threat. Lawmakers should see this as an opportunity to demonstrate how to secure Florida’s health care system against CCP manipulation.

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Sal Nuzzo is the Executive Director of Consumers Defense.