Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
FDA Issues Warning That Medtronic Insulin Pumps Are Vulnerable To Potential Hacks
CNN: Medtronic Recalls MiniMed Insulin Pumps As FDA Warns About Hacking Risk
The US Food and Drug Administration issued a warning on Thursday about possible risk of hacking for some diabetes patients' insulin pumps. Certain insulin pumps from Medtronic MiniMed have been recalled due to potential cybersecurity risks and it's recommended for people who use those insulin pumps to switch to different models, according to the FDA. (Howard, 6/27)
The Wall Street Journal: FDA Says Medtronic Insulin Pumps Pose Cybersecurity Risk
Medtronic began notifying patients about the issue Thursday, saying a hacker could potentially connect wirelessly to a nearby insulin pump to change settings or control insulin delivery. But the company said the likelihood of such a danger from hackers is small, and that the unauthorized person would need to be in fairly close proximity to the person with the insulin pump—several feet away, or potentially at a house next door, depending on the hacking equipment being used. (Burton, 6/27)
Medscape: FDA Recalls Some Medtronic Insulin Pumps Because Of Cybersecurity
"While we are not aware of patients who may have been harmed by this particular cybersecurity vulnerability, the risk of patient harm if such a vulnerability were left unaddressed is significant," Suzanne Schwartz, MD, deputy director of the Office of Strategic Partnerships and Technology Innovation and acting division director for All Hazards Response, Science and Strategic Partnerships in the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said in a statement. (Brooks, 6/27)
The Star Tribune: Medtronic: Older Insulin Pumps Are Vulnerable To Hackers
Insulin is a self-administered drug that can be acutely harmful if given in too large a dose. An insulin pump is a central component of an overall system used to deliver regular doses of manufactured insulin in patients whose bodies don't naturally produce enough of the hormone to break down sugars in their blood. Such pumps can communicate wirelessly with external devices to get real-time glucose measurements or transmit patient data. (Carlson, 6/27)
The Hill: FDA Warns Of Dangerous Cyber Vulnerabilities On Medtronic Insulin Pumps
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned patients and health care providers using certain types of insulin pumps of cyber threats involving the devices, with the pumps recalled due to vulnerabilities that could lead to negative health consequences for users. Security researchers found cyber vulnerabilities in certain types of Medtronic MiniMed insulin pumps that could enable unauthorized users to connect wirelessly to one of these pumps if they are nearby to alter or stop the amount of insulin delivered to a patient. (Miller, 6/27)
