SUMMARY
- Neuralink, Elon Musk's brain-implant venture, receives FDA clearance to commence human trials.
- Clearance comes amidst scrutiny over the company's reported treatment of animals during experiments.
- Investigations persist by the Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Inspector General.
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Neuralink, the innovative brain-implant enterprise backed by Elon Musk, has attained a pivotal clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to proceed with its inaugural human clinical trial. This progression arrives amid rigorous scrutiny by U.S. regulators due to reported animal experimentation practices.
Neuralink hailed this FDA authorization as an "important first step towards helping many individuals with our technology." Despite the enthusiasm, the firm refrained from disclosing further particulars about the imminent study, confirming only that recruitment for the trial is yet to commence and further information will be forthcoming. In response to this development, the FDA verified the go-ahead for Neuralink to employ its cutting-edge brain implant and surgical robot in the trials, though the agency chose not to delve into additional details.
In the wake of these revelations, Neuralink and its high-profile supporter, Musk, remain silent despite numerous attempts by Reuters to secure a comment. This significant breakthrough coincides with a heightened federal probe following revelations about the company's handling of animal experiments.
In a previous year, Neuralink employees reportedly shared their concerns about the company's expedited and compromised surgeries on various animals, citing unnecessary fatalities due to Musk's insistence on securing FDA approval. These experiments were undertaken to generate data for the application for human trials. An egregious error occurred when 25 out of 60 pigs were implanted with mis-sized devices, leading to their inevitable demise — a mishap that could have been avoided with adequate preparation, according to staff members.
Regulatory bodies, including the Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of Inspector General, are investigating potential infringements, including the potential illegal transportation of hazardous pathogens and animal welfare violations. The investigations were initiated amidst mounting employee apprehensions about the rushed procedures leading to excess animal casualties.
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