PATCH Act seeks to shore up security for medical devices, IoT networks

The Protecting and Transforming Cyber Health Care Act, introduced in the Senate by Sens. Tammy Baldwin and Dr. Bill Cassidy, aims to establish new cybersecurity requirements for medical device and network security. It seeks to ensure the safety and security of the U.S. healthcare system’s cyber infrastructure amid increasing cyberattacks. The bill includes measures such as imposing cybersecurity requirements for manufacturers, enabling device updates and patches, establishing a Software Bill of Materials, and developing postmarket cybersecurity vulnerability plans. The bipartisan legislation has companion bills in the House of Representatives.