Kaleida, Other Systems Sue Maker of Da Vinci Surgical Robots Over Alleged Monopoly

At least three health systems have filed class-action lawsuits against Intuitive Surgical, alleging the medical device company imposes a monopoly that forces healthcare providers to purchase its replacement parts and maintenance services at high prices.

Intuitive's chief product is the da Vinci surgical robot, a minimally invasive surgical system that a surgeon controls from a console. The system requires service contracts, replacement instruments and accessories to keep running.

The lawsuits allege that Intuitive forces healthcare providers to pay high prices for parts and service contracts, even though there are cheaper options available.