Biomedical Capacity, Governance, and Health Security: A Dominican Republic Research Analysis of Stakeholder Perspectives

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed critical vulnerabilities in global biomedical supply chains and increased interest in nearshoring and regional health security strategies. The Dominican Republic is the third-largest medical device exporter in Latin America but faces institutional constraints. The research examined the views of 142 experts through surveys and consultations with government and industry leaders. Results showed that perceived government support was significantly below neutral (mean 2.67), with workforce shortages (83.3%) and weak academia-industry collaboration (71.4%) being the most frequently cited barriers. Regulatory modernization (88.1%) and workforce development (85.7%) were identified as top priorities. A majority of respondents (73.8%) supported the establishment of a formal public-private biomedical coordination authority. Institutional credibility and skilled workforce are perceived as the main constraints on the country's biomedical sector development.