Yeni Berenice Reynoso clarifies medical malpractice penalties

Dominican Republic Attorney General Yeni Berenice Reynoso has addressed misconceptions regarding medical malpractice under the country’s new Penal Code, which went into effect last August. During a seminar organized by the Fundación Institucionalidad y Justicia (Finjus), Reynoso clarified that it is a myth that medical professionals can face accumulated prison sentences of up to 60 years for culpable offenses.

Reynoso explained that such heavy cumulative penalties are reserved for serious crimes and do not apply to medical errors or negligence. She noted that a physician would only face such a sentence if they committed a grave crime unrelated to their medical practice. The Attorney General emphasized that medical malpractice constitutes a “rupture of the duty to care” and occurs when the boundaries of permitted risk are crossed.

The seminar, titled “ABC of Legal Responsibility in the Health Sector: Immediate Challenges of the New Penal Code,” was attended by healthcare professionals, managers, and legal experts to discuss the implications of the new legislation, specifically regarding article 112, which covers culpable offenses.