The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) is investigating Elon Musk’s brain implant company, Neuralink, over the potentially illegal movement of hazardous pathogens. The investigation was prompted by a letter from the Physicians Committee of Responsible Medicine (PCRM), an animal-welfare advocacy group, to the Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. The letter alleged that the company had violated federal law by unsafely packaging and moving implants from monkeys, which may have carried infectious diseases. Most Powerful Rocket Ever Ignites with a Successful Test-Firing.
Potential Violations of Federal Regulations
A spokesperson from the DOT confirmed that the allegations made by the PCRM should be taken seriously and that the department is conducting an investigation to ensure Neuralink’s compliance with federal regulations and to keep the public and workers safe from dangerous pathogens. The PCRM obtained emails and other documents which suggest that incidents involving potential breaches of hazardous material transportation regulations took place in 2019, when the company collaborated with the University of California, Davis, to carry out its experiments on primates.
Animal Welfare Concerns
The PCRM has raised concerns about Neuralink in the past, including a federal investigation into potential animal welfare violations in 2020, as well as internal complaints about rushed experiments that caused needless suffering and deaths. The PCRM’s letter stated that pathogens were carried on removed implants from monkeys after improper sanitization and packaging, which could cause serious health problems in humans, such as severe brain damage and pneumonia. The advocacy group also found instances of UC Davis employees urging immediate biohazard training for Neuralink employees after incidents caused contamination concerns.
Brain Implant Development
Neuralink is developing a brain implant that it hopes will help paralyzed people walk again and cure other neurological ailments. The company’s partnership with UC Davis ended in 2020, but the PCRM alleges that the neurosurgeon who oversaw the experiments is still employed by Neuralink, along with other staff who were involved. The PCRM’s letter did not identify any harm resulting from the incidents but pointed out that Neuralink’s actions might pose a serious and ongoing public health risk.