Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. uses animal testing as a standard part of its regulatory compliance and product development process for medical devices. The company’s public filings and regulatory submissions reference animal testing to demonstrate the safety and substantial equivalence of its surgical systems, such as the da Vinci platform. For example, a 2025 FDA submission (K243596) cited bench testing, cadaver studies, and animal testing to support a device application. The company is listed by Cruelty Free Investing specifically for its use of animal testing.

This practice is integral to Intuitive Surgical’s business model, as it relies on animal data to meet regulatory requirements for market clearance from agencies like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The company’s corporate materials, including its SEC Form 10-K, explicitly note the use of animal and human medicine in the development of its technologies. While some testing may be outsourced, the company funds and requires this testing as a condition of bringing its products to market.