Final answer:
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is the federal regulation that requires medical professionals to protect the privacy and confidentiality of patients' health information.
Step-by-step explanation:
The federal regulation that requires medical professionals to protect the privacy and confidentiality of patients' health information is HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). HIPAA sets the standards for the protection of patient information and applies to businesses that use health information, such as insurance companies and healthcare providers. It mandates the strict confidentiality of patient records to ensure privacy and prevent unauthorized release of health information to entities not actively engaged in providing healthcare to a patient.