US Senator Rick Scott has called for a ban on US federal healthcare funds being used to purchase Chinese-made medical devices, warning that internet-connected equipment could expose sensitive patient information and hospital systems to cyber threats.
Scott said Congress should stop hospitals and clinics receiving Medicare, Medicaid or other federal money from buying equipment manufactured by Chinese companies.
He also called for Chinese-made medical devices to be phased out of every healthcare facility accepting federal funding and proposed making foreign medical-data espionage a criminal offence.
The Florida senator based his demand partly on cybersecurity vulnerabilities found in the Contec CMS8000 patient monitor, which is manufactured by a China-based company.
The devices are used to display patients’ vital signs, including heart rate, blood pressure and electrocardiogram readings.
The US Food and Drug Administration issued a safety communication in January 2025 warning that the Contec CMS8000 and the relabelled Epsimed MN-120 could put patients at risk when connected to the internet.
