A growing yet largely overlooked threat is quietly taking root in America’s health care system: the widespread use of Chinese-manufactured medical devices.
This threat comes from the very technology that patients trust to keep them alive. While the issue lacks the urgency of a breaking news crisis, it poses serious long-term risks to patient privacy, health care security, and U.S. economic independence.
Many of these devices — such as internet-connected monitors, pumps, and diagnostic tools — are now embedded in hospitals and clinics across the country, including in Florida. That integration has come with an invisible cost: dependence on companies that operate under the authority of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which can compel access to data or cooperation with espionage efforts at any time.
This is not speculation. Both the FDA and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency have warned that many of these devices are vulnerable to cyberattacks. In the wrong hands, even a basic hospital monitor could serve as a backdoor into critical care systems — exposing sensitive patient data or disrupting services during emergencies.
It’s a wake-up call for state policymakers: securing our health care system must include safeguarding the supply chains that support it. And Florida is uniquely positioned to lead that effort.
Governor DeSantis has already taken bold action to push back against CCP influence — blocking land purchases near military bases, scrutinizing university partnerships, and strengthening consumer protections. Attorney General James Uthmeier has helped uncover foreign threats to our digital infrastructure. The next frontier must be protecting the integrity of Florida’s health care system.
The federal government has begun addressing supply chain risks, but progress is slow. States don’t have to wait. Florida should act now to ensure its health care dollars don’t underwrite foreign control.
State leaders can and should take the lead on solutions rooted in free-market principles and national security. Florida’s health agencies and procurement boards should only purchase medical devices that meet rigorous cybersecurity and supply chain transparency standards. Devices tied to companies influenced by the CCP should not be eligible for taxpayer-funded contracts. The Florida Legislature can condition Medicaid reimbursements and other health care funding on providers using secure, CCP-free medical equipment. Hospitals and clinics receiving public dollars must be accountable for the origin and integrity of the technology they rely on.
Rather than regulate from the top down, Florida should empower innovation. Strategic tax credits, targeted grants, and preference in state contracts can help build a stronger domestic manufacturing base. Supporting American-made medical devices strengthens both health care and economic resilience. President Trump’s call to revive American manufacturing aligns directly with this effort.
Additionally, Florida can set the standard for national reform by creating a voluntary certification system that identifies vendors meeting high cybersecurity and transparency benchmarks. Providers would remain free to choose, but the state can reward compliance with procurement advantages and incentives.
This is not about economic isolationism; it’s about defending fair competition and security. Chinese medical device makers often benefit from state subsidies, forced technology transfer, and a lack of transparency. U.S. firms can compete and win on quality, innovation, and trust if the rules are enforced fairly.
But Florida doesn’t need to wait for Washington. With smart, market-aligned policies, our state can lead the way in securing health care from foreign dependence. Every Floridian deserves confidence that the technology keeping them alive is safe, secure, and under American control.
Let’s not hand a strategic advantage to a foreign adversary inside our own hospitals.
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Doug Wheeler is the director of the George Gibbs Center for Economic Prosperity at The James Madison Institute.