AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Governor Greg Abbott is urging state health agencies and public universities to address potential cybersecurity risks from Chinese-manufactured medical devices, citing concerns that sensitive patient data could be accessed by foreign actors.
In a letter released Monday, Abbott directed the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), the Texas Cyber Command (TXCC), and university system chancellors to review procurement policies, catalog network-connected devices, and assess cybersecurity protections at state-owned medical facilities.
“Maintaining Texans’ physical security and protecting their personal privacy, especially as it relates to something as important and intimate as personal medical data, is of paramount importance,” Abbott wrote. “I will not let Communist China spy on Texans. State-owned medical facilities must ensure there are safeguards in place to protect Texans’ private medical data.”
The directive follows federal warnings from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) about vulnerabilities in certain patient monitoring devices, including the Contec CMS8000 and Epsimed MN-120, which could allow unauthorized access to protected health information.
Under Abbott’s order, the Texas Cyber Command will review whether affected devices should be added to the state’s prohibited technology list and recommend additional safeguards. Agencies must submit reports and recommendations to the governor’s office by April 17, which could form the basis for proposed legislation to protect Texans’ medical data from foreign adversaries.
Abbott’s move reflects growing concern over Chinese-made smart medical devices in U.S. healthcare systems, echoing similar warnings from previous federal administrations.