The case centers on bundling and exclusive dealing practices in the surgical device market.
A US District Court jury has found Medtronic liable for violations of federal and state antitrust laws and awarded Applied Medical $381,705,005 in damages.
Applied Medical filed the lawsuit in February 2023, alleging that Medtronic engaged in unlawful bundling and exclusive dealing practices that restricted competition in the market for advanced bipolar vessel sealing devices.
Following a 10-day trial in Los Angeles, the jury determined that Medtronic violated the Sherman Act, the Clayton Act, and the California Cartwright Act through its use of restrictive contracts with healthcare providers. Following this verdict, Applied Medical intends to seek injunctive relief to prohibit Medtronic from enforcing these unlawful restrictions, according to a release from the comapny.
“This is not just a legal victory for Applied; it is a validation of fair competition,” says Gary Johnson, group president advanced energy, who represented Applied Medical throughout the trial, in a release. “We believe this decision marks a turning point for hospitals and healthcare providers struggling to dismantle complex contractual barriers that have long prevented them from access to innovation, choice, and value.”
Medtronic did not provide a response to a request for comment by publication time.
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