Elon Musk’s Neuralink Accused By Activists Of Illegally Transporting Hazardous Materials As They Call For A Government Investigation

Topline

Elon Musk’s Neuralink, which develops implants that enable a direct interface between the human brain and computers, is being accused by an animal-welfare group of violating hazardous material laws by failing to safely package “contaminated” devices, and they are urging the Department of Transportation to investigate.

Key Facts

The letter from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) to DOT provided evidence—emails and other documents—that Neuralink may have unsafely packaged and moved implants that were removed from the brains of monkeys at University of California, Davis, where Neuralink does its testing.

PCRM said there’s evidence that untrained Neuralink employees transported “contaminated” devices that were removed from the brains of “infected” monkeys without safely packing them.

Neuralink was conducting these experiments at the UC Davis until 2020, but the incidents PCRM said are of concern happened in 2019.

Email evidence provided by PCRM shows UC Davis employees were concerned about how Neuralink was transporting these materials: “We are making a big deal about this because we are concerned for human safety,” one UC Davis employee wrote.

The transported devices could have harmed those around them, as the materials may have been contaminated with antibiotic-resistant pathogens—like Staphylococcus and Klebsiella which can cause pneumonia, bloodstream infections and meningitis—and also contaminated with Herpes B which can lead to severe brain damage, if not treated immediately, and PCRM is asking DOT to investigate and fine Neuralink for these potential violations.

A UC Davis spokesperson told Forbes the university “complies with all relevant regulations on laboratory safety and biohazards.”

Forbes has reached out to Neuralink and DOT.

Key Background

Neuralink’s goal is to use brain-computer implants to help people suffering from paralysis, as well as other neurological ailments. This is not the first time Neuralink has been linked to animal testing concerns. In December, Reuters reported that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Inspector General was investigating alleged violations of the Animal Welfare Act. The report said Neuralink’s testing had killed around 1,500 animals since 2018. This comes as Musk plans to move away from the animal testing of Neuralink’s brain chip to potential human trials in the coming months, pending Food and Drug Administration approval.

Crucial Quote

“We’ve seen mistakes by a company that claims it’s trying to improve human health, that wants to put this device in people’s heads, and that deserves scrutiny from federal agencies and the general public,” said Ryan Merkley, director of research advocacy with the PCRM. “The bigger issue is the Silicon Valley mindset of moving fast and breaking things is being applied to biomedical research. This mentality of having something flashy to share with the public is in contention with the time it takes to do animal research.”

Further Reading

Elon Musk’s Neuralink Could Be Trailed In Humans In 2023. Here’s What You Need To Know (Forbes)

Musk’s Neuralink Under Federal Investigations Over Alleged Animal Welfare Abuses, Report Says (Forbes)

Exclusive: Musk’s Neuralink Faces Federal Probe, Employee Backlash Over Animal Tests (Reuters)