Every day, millions of Americans are sustained, monitored, and diagnosed by medical technology they never think twice about. Yet the threats of cyber intrusion, data theft, and infrastructure compromise are closer than ever before, in some cases literally inside the patient. These risks stem from the rapid, widespread use of Chinese-manufactured medical devices.
This dependency has grown quietly, but dramatically, and continues to risk US medical privacy, security, and economic independence. According to an April 2025 , more than three-quarters (77%) of Americans hold an unfavorable opinion of China. Furthermore, three-quarters (75%) of U.S. adults have little or no confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping to do the right thing regarding world affairs, including 39% who have no confidence at all in him. So, it should come as no surprise that concerns exist over Chinese manufacturing across many industries, and medical devices are no different.
The use of (or even worse) reliance on such technology places America’s healthcare sector at severe risk of data breaches and cyberattacks, according to reports from both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The FDA even warned that certain medical devices like the Contec CMS800 patient monitor originating from China contained backdoors, which “may mean the device or the network to which it is connected may have been or could be compromised.” Even more concerningly, the FDA outlined that these devices could “be remotely controlled by an unauthorized user or not work as intended.”
While all technology carries some level of vulnerability, the threats identified in these reports go far beyond ordinary cybersecurity flaws. What separates these faults is that in those same embedded backdoors, the CISA found that when exploited, they could give foreign operators the ability to alter medical data, disable alarms, or manipulate treatment settings. In many cases, they are able to erase any record of the intrusion, preventing both the patient and hospital from realizing that tampering had even occurred.
While at first glance this may appear as an unintended vulnerability, it simply does not pass the sniff test. This is because the CISA explained that “these types of actions and the lack of critical log/auditing data go against generally accepted practices and ignore essential components for properly managed system updates, especially for medical devices.” This means that these devices inherently and purposefully undermine the basic security and safety regulations expected of any other medical device.
Officials are starting to take note. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is taking legal action against Contec over potential cybersecurity risks and alleged violations of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. Uthmeier suggests there is evidence that Contec, a manufacturer of patient monitors based in Qinhuangdao, China (which has conducted business in the U.S. for over a decade), concealed serious security problems in its products.
Uthmeier stated, “Medical devices that record patient data must be secure and should not send data to entities controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. Protecting Americans’ sensitive, personal data from our enemies is paramount, and my office will get to the bottom of this deception.”
Whether such a fault is intentional or not is a matter of personal interpretation. Regardless, the implications of this technology are grave; it means that the privacy, sovereignty, and safety of Americans’ healthcare are at risk of being compromised to the benefit of the Chinese Communist Party.
Worst of all, these threats are accelerating. Radiology Business News has documented the growing dominance of CCP-based manufacturers like United Imaging, Mindray Neusoft, and iRay across U.S. hospitals and health systems, as well as at major medical trade shows. The CCP-linked Mindray monitoring systems were specifically flagged for risky default network behavior that could expose patient monitors to overseas connections. Analysts even discovered these devices communicating with IP addresses outside the United States. Furthermore, CISA has identified this as a potential security concern since it may allow remote code execution and device modification.
Threats originating from the CCP are nothing new. For decades, China has stolen American intellectual property, manipulated global markets, and undercut the U.S. with artificially cheap goods with the end goal of weakening domestic industries. However, the concern has expanded well beyond economic competition to the ever-growing and deliberate influence of the Chinese Communist Party inside the United States.
In 2023, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis prohibiting Chinese nationals from purchasing real estate near military bases in the state. This was done after federal intelligence agencies warned that China was buying land near sensitive sites to monitor or even disrupt U.S. operations. That same year, he also limited the ability of Florida universities to accept grants from or form partnerships with “countries of concern,” a category that includes China.
Just recently, U.S. Representative Kat Cammack urged Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to intervene as a Chinese entity attempted to seize the intellectual property of an American medical technology company. As Congresswoman Cammack stated: “This is exactly how the CCP seeks to gain leverage over American innovation. They buy in, block out U.S. investors, and bleed out the company until they can siphon off our intellectual property and take it back to Beijing.”
Whether in the economy, education, or now even healthcare, it is clear that the CCP’s influence is here and seeking any method to expand. When the lives of our most vulnerable population are on the line, it is not a time for complacency, but a time to demand deliberate action. As the CCP’s reach grows, so too must our efforts to defend America’s privacy, safety, and long-term prosperity.
In this regard, Florida once again has the opportunity to lead the nation in confronting China’s influence at the state level. Lawmakers can implement reforms that incentivize healthcare providers to purchase American-made medical devices and require state contracts to prioritize U.S.-manufactured goods. These policies, combined with strategic tax credits and targeted grants, would not only reduce reliance on Chinese products but also strengthen U.S. technological production. The benefits of bolstering American medical-technology production extend well beyond countering Chinese influence or even saving lives. Such policy solutions will position Florida as a hub for highly-skilled manufacturing, innovation, and technical labor. This aligns perfectly with President Trump’s mandate to revive American manufacturing and complements Florida’s ongoing investment in STEM, workforce development, and vocational education.
Prioritizing the use of U.S.-made medical devices over products made in China would position Florida as a state where students can receive an exceptional, low-cost education and then step directly into well-paid careers in manufacturing, installing, and servicing American-made healthcare technology. And all while strengthening the privacy and safety of American healthcare and growing prosperity for Florida, not Beijing.
Florida does not need to wait for federal regulators to create change. With smart market-aligned policies, our state can defend fair competition and healthcare security. Through this, every Floridian can have access to safe, secure, and quality American healthcare products. We have already done so much to deter the CCP’s influence; letting this influence run rampant in our hospitals would be a foolish mistake.
