Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has directed state health agencies and public medical facilities to review cybersecurity risks tied to Chinese-manufactured medical equipment, signaling heightened concern over potential vulnerabilities in the healthcare sector.
The directive calls on the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Department of State Health Services and public university systems to evaluate procurement and security protocols, with a focus on protecting against breaches linked to foreign adversaries. In a March 9 news release, Mr. Abbott pointed to federal warnings about security flaws in patient monitoring devices made in China.
The move comes as federal regulators are also stepping up scrutiny. March 23, the Federal Communications Commission said it would prohibit foreign adversary-controlled networking equipment from use in U.S. IT infrastructure. Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., chair of the House Select Committee on China, described the decision as a significant step in addressing cybersecurity risks associated with Chinese-made routers and other hardware.
Concerns about foreign technology in critical infrastructure have been building for months. In October, Mr. Moolenaar and four other House committee chairs urged the administration to expand oversight of Chinese technologies embedded in U.S. networks, including cellular modules, sensors, industrial robotics and energy systems.
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