Elon Musk’s Neuralink business has been accused of killing 1,500 animals over the past four years during testing of its brain implant, which it claims could revolutionise treatment for patients with neurological conditions.
Staff working at the neurotech company have suggested trials of its brain implants are being unnecessarily rushed, with animals often needlessly suffering as a result, according to Reuters.
Musk outlined in early December that the chip could start being trialled in humans within the next six months, potentially allowing paralysed people to walk again and blind people to see.
We are now confident that the Neuralink device is ready for humans, so timing is a function of working through the FDA approval process
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 1, 2022
Estimates by staff, however, suggest that 1,500 animals have died during tests since 2018, including sheep, pigs and monkeys, which they say is higher than it should be due to pressures from Musk to carry out research as quickly as possible.
In February this year, Neuralink moved to defend itself against allegations that it was causing animals “extreme suffering,” outlining it tried worked in the most “humane and ethical way” possible.
Musk also wrote to staff in February, suggesting the company was “not moving fast enough,” leading to less traditional testing methods being adopted to speed up the process.
An investigation into whether it has violated terms of the Animal Welfare Act would be untimely as it is looking to gain approval to begin human trials.
The federal probe, which has not been previously reported, was opened in recent months by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Inspector General at the request of a federal prosecutor, according to two sources with knowledge of the investigation who were cited by Reuters.
The probe, one of the sources said, focuses on violations of the Animal Welfare Act, which governs how researchers treat and test some animals.