Elon Musk's brain chip firm Neuralink kept 'suffering animals alive for no reason': Report

Elon Musk’s brain-computer interface company Neuralink allegedly kept suffering animals alive for no reason even after botched experiments, claims a report by Daily Mail. The revelation was made by a former Neuralink employee who alleged that the company used a specific ‘unauthorised’ glue in excess amounts to seal holes in the skulls of monkeys which caused hemorrhage in their brains. 

Neuralink was established by Musk in 2016 with the aim to connect human brains to computers by implanting coin-sized chips. These chips have extremely thin threads which are inserted into the brain. During the recent Show and Tell event, Musk claimed that these chips would help the paralysed walk again and even restore the eyesight of those born blind through Artificial Intelligence (AI). He even said that the company would carry out its first human trials as soon as in six months. He even said that he might be wearing an implant in the next demo.

Is Neuralink ready for human trials?

Although Musk says Neuralink is ready for humans, the leaked lab reports and claims by an anonymous employee state otherwise. The company has been using pigs and monkeys as subjects to test the brain chip, however, the alleged side effects on the monkeys are the most disturbing. The former employee revealed that Neuralink carried out experiments on animals from 2017 through 2020 at the University of California and was accused of violating the Animal Welfare Act. 

He further revealed, per Daily Mail, that the neurosurgeons used a substance called BioGlue as a sealant for the surgical holes in the skull of the monkeys which caused swelling and hemorrhage. Not only was BioGlue not authorised for usage in brain surgery by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but it was being used in amounts of 15-20 ml instead of the instructional 3-5 ml. What's more, is that the company had to sacrifice a monkey ahead of schedule after a botched experiment, the former employee told Daily Mail.

In February this year, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine filed a complaint against Neuralink to the US Department of Agriculture claiming that 15 of 23 monkeys died 'painful' deaths owing to these experiments. While Neuralink later admitted to a 'surgical complication involving the use of the FDA-approved product (BioGlue)' but clarified that the monkey was euthanised. According to recent multiple media reports, Neuralink has killed as many as 1,500 animals including sheep in addition to pigs and monkeys.