Most influential countries in the international medical device trade: Network-based analysis

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• International Trade
• Network Analysis

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the fragility of the global medical device market.
• Export restrictions and trade cooperation shifts have impacted medical device supply chains.
• Limited research exists on country influence within intricate global medical device trade relationships.

Purpose of the Study:

• To construct a global medical device trade network (GMDTN).
• To analyze country influence and criticality within the GMDTN.
• To reveal evolution patterns and geographical distribution of influence.

Main Methods:

• Network construction of global medical device trade.
• Network-based analysis to identify influential countries.
• Examination of trade patterns (breadth and depth) and intermediate roles.

Main Results:

• The global medical device trade is export-oriented.
• Country influence stems from trading partner numbers (breadth) or partner dependence (depth).
• The US holds a dominant position in both breadth and depth; some countries act as critical intermediaries.

Conclusions:

• Policymakers need to understand country influence in medical device trade.
• Proactive strategies are essential to manage market instability and supply chain risks.
• Network analysis provides critical insights into global trade dynamics.