If a hospital were to suffer a cyber attack and critical technology systems used to manage patient care were compromised, the consequences could be devastating.
“We’re starting to think of this as a public health issue, a disaster on the scale of an earthquake or a hurricane.” Jeff Talleyis co-director of Healthcare Cyber Security Center in University of California, San Diego.
Cybersecurity experts say many hospitals are not prepared for extended power outages, and the federal government has done little to outline the protocols and standards needed to keep patients safe from the growing number of health care attacks in recent years.
Long-standing concerns about protecting patients’ sensitive health information have been replaced by fears of harm to the patients themselves. Kate Wells And I dug into one of the news organizations’ latest and biggest cases. Michigan Public Schools KFF Health News: Ransomware attacks rise The incident left clinicians without access to electronic medical records, medication systems and other technology for weeks at one of the nation’s largest health systems.
Cybersecurity experts say the federal government requires hospitals to protect patient data, but it doesn’t require them to implement basic cybersecurity protocols, including multifactor authentication, email management and basic cybersecurity training for employees. But the Biden administration has signaled it intends to introduce some enforcement measures soon.
when Dennis Anderson,president Health Information Sharing and Analysis CenterWhen the government began its work in healthcare, federal officials were primarily focused on data privacy and the landmark patient privacy law of 1996, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
“We haven’t been treating cybersecurity and healthcare in the same context,” said Anderson, whose organization works to protect the healthcare sector from physical and cyber threats.
Lawmakers are taking notice“It is clear that the Department of Health and Human Services’ current approach to healthcare cybersecurity – self-regulation and voluntary best practices – is woefully inadequate and leaves our health care system vulnerable to criminal and foreign government hackers,” the senators said. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) In a letter dated June 5th To the Secretary of Health and Human Services: Xavier Becerra.
Clinicians working at Ascension Hospital say the cyberattack led to catastrophic lapses, including delayed or lost test results, medication errors and a lack of regular safety checks on technology to prevent deadly mistakes. More than a dozen doctors and nurses who work at the massive health system told Michigan Public and KFF Health News that the cyberattack has undermined patient care at the hospital.
Ascension did not respond to questions about claims that medical care was affected by the ransomware attack, saying: “We are confident that medical workers in our hospitals and facilities continue to provide quality care.” Sean Fitzpatrick“We’re not a scam,” Ascension’s vice president of external communications said last month.
KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism on health issues. KFF — An independent source of health policy research, polling and journalism.
President Trump’s new Republican platform softens stance on abortion, shifts focus to states’ rights
Republican delegates quickly adopted a convention platform drafted by the nominee. Donald Trump The Washington Post reported that the president and his aides abandoned their long-held stance on abortion at a conference in Milwaukee yesterday. Michael Scherer and Josh Dorsey report.
Important context: The 2016 Republican platform that Trump used in his 2020 reelection bid called for a constitutional amendment to give legal rights to embryos and fetuses and a nationwide ban on abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, with some exceptions.
of New Platform Both were removed, reflecting President Trump’s recent views that abortion policy should be decided at the state level. 84-18.
Let’s take a closer look: The current constitutional due process rights provide the state with the power to “enact laws to protect those rights,” the document states. “While we oppose late-term abortions, we support mothers and policies that promote prenatal care, access to contraception, and in vitro fertilization (IVF).”
- Other things we are looking at: The new platform promises to “ban taxpayer-funded sex-change surgeries and prevent taxpayer-funded schools from promoting sex change,” but stops short of banning parents from subjecting their underage children to the medical procedure.
The updated platform received mixed reactions from anti-abortion activists, many of whom called for stronger language on the issue. Take a look below:
It is a victory that the Republican platform did not support weak federal abortion restrictions that would allow 9 out of 10 abortions to continue. Their support for the 14th Amendment’s protection of the unborn paves the way for the passage of strong pro-life federal legislation.
— Kristan Hawkins (@KristanHawkins) July 8, 2024
FDA Updates Guidelines to Combat Online Medical Misinformation
of Food and Drug Administration We want to empower prescription drug and medical device makers to voluntarily address online misinformation about their products.
detail: agency Draft guidance published The FDA yesterday offered recommendations on two types of communications companies can use to combat false, inaccurate, or misleading statements on social media about the safety, effectiveness, or approved uses of their products. If finalized, these would update recommendations the FDA issued in 2014.
- Yes, but: Federal regulators noted that their guidance does not apply to communications by independent third parties that could be deemed opinion, nor does it cover statements about individual patient experiences.
Overall picture: FDA Commissioner Robert Califf Frequently cites misinformation Immediate threat to public health This is a big problem given the lives that could be saved with a coronavirus vaccine or antiviral drugs. The Washington Post also detailed how misinformation about contraception has proliferated online, leading some people to make contraception decisions based on fear rather than fact.
Regulated industries play a key role in ensuring that consumers have accurate information about medical products. https://t.co/aPNjjYE5Mc
— Dr. Robert M. Califf (@DrCaliff_FDA) July 8, 2024
The strain of bird flu circulating in dairy herds across the United States may be different from the H5N1 virus that has previously plagued the country, according to a new study. New Research Funded National Institutes of Health.
the study, Published in NatureThe team found that the virus currently circulating among cattle can bind to cell receptors in both birds and humans, a feature that may facilitate infection and transmission between mammals.
Yes, but: This strain, when tested in ferrets, does not appear to be capable of efficient respiratory transmission between animals and humans. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention It’s been found Original research It uses mammals that are considered surrogates for humans in influenza research.
The White House Prescription
Stillbirth prevention takes center stage in Washington
Plan of this week: President Biden Plan to sign Bipartisan Bill This would ensure additional federal resources are available to address stillborn pregnancies.
The Biden administration hosted a panel discussion at the White House yesterday to raise awareness about stillbirth, which the CDC estimates is about 21,000 times Every year in the United States.
detail: The bill, which passed with near unanimity in both houses of the Legislature this year, clarifies that for the first time, states can use existing funding provided through the Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant for stillbirth prevention activities and research.
Today, our organization had the honor of participating in a panel discussion at the White House Complex hosted by the Biden-Harris Administration. pic.twitter.com/L4idHkilAw
— HealthyBirthDayInc (@Healthy_Birth) July 8, 2024
- On our radar: The House will vote on a bill to end federal contact with biotech companies that are “in tether with our adversaries and putting Americans’ medical data at risk,” the speaker said. Mike Johnson (Louisiana Republican) yesterday. Foreign Policy Speech in Hudson Institute.
- Congressman John Garamendi (Democrat, California) Diagnosed Early stages of multiple myelomaHe has cancer, a treatable form of blood cancer, and is undergoing chemotherapy, which will limit his travel to Washington, according to The Washington Post. Marianna Sotomayor.
- Organizers are working to put a marijuana legalization proposition on the North Dakota ballot in November. More than 22,000 signatures in support were submitted.There will likely be another vote on an issue that residents have rejected twice. Jack Dula Reports Associated Press.
The White House said a Parkinson’s disease specialist conducted a physical exam on Biden (By Dan Diamond and Yasmin Abu-Taleb | The Washington Post)
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