Elon Musk’s brain chip firm Neuralink has admitted several macaque monkeys have died during tests where a series of experiments involving the use of brain chips have been implanted into their brains. Multiple reports suggested that 15 out of 23 monkeys used for experiments died after “extreme suffering.”
The experiments, spanned from 2017 to 2020 with the primates, in partnership with University of California Davis and had been developing a brain computer interface claiming one day it could make people smarter and even help paralyzed people walk again.
According to the Daily News, animal rights groups stated the monkeys were subjected to abuse and have filed complaints with the United States Department of Agriculture, claiming that the university violated the Animal Welfare Act.
The Physician Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) contend the monkeys that were confined to cages at the UC Davis were subjected to experiments amounting to tortuous treatment with the animals suffering from documented reports of rashes, self-mutilation and brain hemorrhages. The organization claims the experiments reflect a “pattern of extreme suffering and staff negligence.”
The committee has requested the university release videos and photographs of the monkeys, CNN reported and further alleges in court documents that university staff “removed pieces of the skulls of rhesus macaque monkeys and inserted electrodes into the animals’ brains.” It also claimed the monkeys received no veterinary care, and the monkeys were subjected to an “unapproved substance” – BioGlue that “killed monkeys by destroying portions of their brains.”
Currently, all novel medical devices and treatments must be tested in animals before they can be ethically trialed in humans. Neuralink is not unique in this regard. At Neuralink, we are absolutely committed to working with animals in the most humane and ethical way possible,’ the firm wrote in a blog post.
Neiuralink
In their blog post, Neuralink stated “one surgical complication involving the use of BioGlue” – they contended was an FDA approved product, The monkey involved was euthanized.
According to the New York Post, they were told that almost every monkey that had implants placed in their heads suffered from debilitating health issues, and the results of the experiments ended with the maiming and killing animals.
UC Davis states they fully complied with all research protocols and that the monkeys were provided with veterinary care including round-the-clock monitoring for the animals during experimentation. UC Davis ended their experiments with Neuralink in 2020.
The majority of the monkeys had to be euthanized, or died as a result of procedures, according to the complaint.
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