Elon Musk's neuroimplant company Neuralink is facing legal action from an animal rights group. The complainants say the company subjected the monkeys to "extraordinary suffering" for years of "terrible experiments".
Neuralink chips were implanted in the brains of monkeys during a series of tests at the University of California, Davis, which ran from 2017 to 2020.
According to animal rights activists, after the tests, one of the monkeys was found missing fingers and toes, "possibly due to self-harm or some other unspecified injury." The monkey was later killed during a "terminal procedure".
In another case, holes were drilled into the skull and electrodes were implanted in the brain, after which it allegedly developed a bloody skin infection, and the animal had to be euthanized.
In the third case, a female macaque was implanted with electrodes in her brain, after which she began vomiting and shortness of breath. A few days later, the researchers wrote that the animal "appeared to have passed out from exhaustion/fatigue" and was subsequently euthanized. An autopsy showed that the monkey had a brain hemorrhage.
A total of 23 monkeys participated in the experiments. At least 15 of them have died or been euthanized by 2020.
“Virtually every monkey that has had head implants has suffered some pretty debilitating health effects. Frankly, they maimed and killed animals,” said Jeremy Beckham, director of research advocacy for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
The organization accuses Neuralink and UC Davis of nine violations of federal animal welfare law.
The group also wants to force the University of California to release more photos, videos, and information about the monkeys involved in the experiments, in accordance with the state's public records laws.
A spokesman for the University of California said his work with Neuralink ended in 2020, and the university's Animal Use Committee has "thoroughly reviewed and approved" the project. “We strive to provide the best possible care for the animals in our care,” he added. “Animal research is highly regulated and UC Davis complies with all applicable laws and regulations, including those of the USDA.”
Meanwhile, Neuralink is already planning to start its first human trials. In December, Musk said he plans to test the devices in humans in 2022, and in January of this year, the company posted a job opening for a director of clinical trials.
Neuralink was created in 2016. Elon Musk promises that the brain-computer neural interface will help people with neurological diseases, Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease, and also expand the capabilities of ordinary users. In addition, it will help people control hormone levels, and this will make it possible to cope with anxiety and depression by "reprogramming" the parts of the brain responsible for their development.
In August 2020, Neuralink made its first presentation on piglets. In February 2021, the company was able to successfully implant a chip into a monkey that allows it to play video games with its mind. In July, Neuralink raised $205 million to develop technology that will help paralyzed people use electronic devices.
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