A bipartisan bill called The Strengthening Cybersecurity for Medical Devices Act was introduced which requires the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to evaluate and revise its policies on the cybersecurity of medical devices more often to make sure devices are secured from cyberattacks and potential hacking.
Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) with co-sponsor Sen Todd Young (R-IN) introduced the bill calling for the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to give updated policies on medical device cybersecurity to FDA annually, and for the FDA to give updated policies and recommendations on medical device cybersecurity once every two years. The regularity of updates must be enhanced to make sure the guidelines stay up-to-date, particularly considering the quick-changing threat landscape and the degree to which the healthcare sector is being attacked by cyber threat actors.
Sen Young stated that medical devices are more and more linked to the web or other medical care facility systems to give features that enhance the capability of health care companies to treat individuals. The bill helps to make sure medical devices are secured from cyberattacks and utilized safely and securely so as to minimize threats and vulnerabilities for individual patients.
The bill additionally requires the FDA to publish facts publicly regarding government resources for healthcare experts, medical device producers, and health systems that will enable them to determine and deal with vulnerabilities and to make sure they can acquire proper support. The Strengthening Cybersecurity for Medical Devices Act additionally calls for the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to put together a report about cybersecurity vulnerabilities impacting medical devices and to give suggestions for enhancing government coordination to help cybersecurity for medical devices.
Senator Rosen said that because of growing cyber threats, the health care system’s cyber infrastructure must be strengthened. This bipartisan will make sure that medical devices and systems are updated with the most recent cybersecurity, safeguarding patients and health care networks.