- In April 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) proposed significant updates to the HIPAA Security Rule to address increasing cybersecurity threats. The changes mandate encryption of ePHI, implementation of multifactor authentication, and enhanced network segmentation. These proposed regulations are expected to significantly accelerate the adoption of blockchain-based healthcare data security systems, due to their ability to ensure immutable, encrypted, and decentralized data storage
- In May 2025, researchers introduced hChain 4.0, a next-generation permissioned blockchain framework designed for healthcare. This system combines pseudonymization, attribute-based access control, and partial homomorphic encryption to secure Electronic Health Records (EHRs) from edge devices to blockchain networks. The pilot aims to provide scalable, HIPAA-compliant data exchange among healthcare providers while maintaining patient confidentiality
- In March 2025, Circular Protocol, in collaboration with Arculus and IT Lab, launched the “Smart Share” platform—a blockchain-based solution for secure medical data authentication. The platform allows patients and providers to digitally sign and verify sensitive records using hardware card keys, offering tamper-proof medical identity and improving interoperability across systems
- In December 2024, in response to multiple large-scale healthcare cyberattacks—including a breach of 100 million UnitedHealth records—HHS OCR emphasized the critical need for secure patient data systems. Blockchain-based solutions were highlighted as a viable method to ensure data traceability, tamper resistance, and secure access controls in real-time
- In April 2025, a joint study published in Medical Technology revealed that blockchain combined with artificial intelligence is emerging as a preferred defense mechanism against ransomware and phishing attacks in healthcare. As of 2024, over 305 million healthcare records were compromised globally, prompting nearly 20% of U.S. hospitals to adopt or pilot blockchain-integrated systems for healthcare data security
- In February 2025, a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reinforced the value of decentralized technologies such as blockchain for improving resilience in healthcare data infrastructures. The report recommended federal incentives to support blockchain adoption in public and private healthcare institutions
