Elon Musk’s Neuralink Faces Backlash Over Animal Tests
Elon Musk’s Neuralink re-entered public discourse recently with the announcement that his neurotech startup is developing an implantable vision chip that could cure blindness. Despite the excitement, the risk of human suffering in such experiments has never been higher. Since 2018, Neuralink has killed around 1,500 animals while trying to connect brains to computer interfaces, according to company records reviewed by Reuters. The company began recruiting for its first human trials in late September after receiving FDA approval.
Many of the animals killed were larger mammals with brains similar to those of humans, such as monkeys and pigs. Detailed records from UC Davis’ California National Primate Research Center reveal that monkeys who received Neuralink brain chip implants suffered immensely post-surgery.
One monkey scratched at the chip insertion site until it became bloody and pulled at wires connected to the implant until part of the device came out of their own head. Another monkey lost coordination after her brain implant surgery and would shake uncontrollably whenever she saw lab workers.
Musk had denied that any monkeys died as a result of a Neuralink implant. Within days of Neuralink announcing its first human trials, a national group of physicians sent a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), urging the federal regulator to investigate Musk for securities fraud on the grounds that he is misleading investors about the violent toll taken by Neuralink surgeries.
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has urged Neuralink to halt all animal and human experiments and instead focus on non-invasive brain-computer interfaces. Despite this, the company is still actively recruiting Americans with quadriplegia or ALS to receive a brain implant in the coming months.
Hot Take: The Ethical Quandary of Neuralink’s Animal Testing
The revelation of Neuralink’s extensive animal testing raises serious ethical concerns about the treatment of animals in scientific research. While the potential benefits of neurotech advancements are significant, they must be weighed against the moral implications and potential harm caused to living creatures during experimentation. As technology continues to advance rapidly, it is essential for companies like Neuralink to prioritize ethical considerations in their pursuit of scientific innovation.
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