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Experts debate H.160 right-to-repair bill for medical devices at Vermont committee hearing
Summary
Witnesses at the Vermont House Committee on Commerce & Economic Development hearing on March 19, 2026 gave competing views of H.160, a proposed right-to-repair law for medical devices: a free‑market analyst warned it risks patient safety and cybersecurity, while a right‑to‑repair advocate cited FDA findings and surveys saying outside servicing is common and not shown to cause safety problems.
The Vermont House Committee on Commerce & Economic Development heard competing testimony March 19 on H.160, a proposed bill to require manufacturers to provide parts, tools, software and documentation to third‑party repairers of medical devices.
Justin Leventhal, senior policy analyst at the American Consumer Institute, told the committee that H.160 would “force a broad mandate that risks patient harm” by requiring manufacturers to share access information without establishing standards for who is qualified to use it. He said the bill would broaden cybersecurity exposure by making codes and passwords more widely available and that unauthorized repairs of high‑risk equipment such as ventilators and defibrillators could imperil…
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