Neuralink has big dreams for their brain implant, but development has been shrouded in controversy (source: https://neuralink.com/approach/)
I drew this cartoon 11 years ago. I can’t believe it’s still relevant.
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), a group that opposes medical testing on animals, is accusing Neuralink and the University of California Davis of conducting inhumane testing on animals. UC Davis’s National Primate Research Center, which has received more than $1.4 million in funding from Neuralink to conduct experiments, was named in the original complaint filed in May 2021 alleging that the university failed to release certain records related to the test monkeys as required by California’s open record law. Based on the records obtained from that suit, PCRM has filed an amended complaint accusing Neuralink and UC Davis of nine violations of the Animal Welfare Act. They allege that the lab failed to provide sufficient veterinary care, used an unapproved substance known as “BioGlue” that destroyed portions of the monkey’s brains, and failed to provide for the psychological well-being of the primates in the experiment.
Neuralink has posted a response on their blog claiming that the statements made by PCRM are misleading and denying that any of the animals involved in its experiments experienced extreme suffering, though they acknowledge that eight of the animals had to be euthanized during their research. Neuralink has called itself “absolutely committed to working with animals in the most humane and ethical way” and insists that all animal work was done in full compliance with federal law. UC Davis has acknowledged the partnership with Neuralink, saying that it ended in 2020 and that the university’s Insitutional Animal Care and Use Committee approved the research protocols of the project.
The lawsuit filed by PCRM aims to force the university to release videos and photographs of the monkeys used in the experiments, which could corroborate their accusations of inhuman testing and abuse. They claim Neuralinks blog post fails to acknowledge the significant pain and distress experienced by the test animals at UC Davis, sometimes for months before they were euthanized, according to the records they obtained.
Neuralink has now moved its animal research to an in-house facility at its headquarters in Fremont, California, but this is not the first time the company has been in the spotlight for suspect practices. In late January, Fortune posted a feature highlighting, beyond the recent animal abuse allegations, a culture of blame, impossible deadlines, and the absent leadership of Elon Musk.
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