Elon Musk’s Neuralink accused of cruel treatment of animals

Animal-welfare advocates accused Elon Musk’s Neuralink of causing ‘severe suffering’ to test monkeys. Since 2017, during testing of neural implants on 23 primates, only seven survived.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine filed the corresponding complaint with the US Department of Agriculture. According to them, activists have 700 pages of documents, including veterinary reports and necropsy reports, corroborating mistreatment of the macaques.

The records concern 23 monkeys that were housed at the University of California, Davis, and owned by Neuralink from 2017 to 2020.

Animal-welfare advocates noted that the animals were subjected to ‘inadequate care’, as well as invasive and lethal experiments. In addition, researchers used the prohibited substance ‘bio-glue’, which destroys parts of the brain. The macaques were kept in solitary cages with steel pins screwed into their brains, as stated in the report.

In some cases, due to deteriorating health, Neuralink and UC Davis euthanized the monkeys before they were used in the planned experiment, the statement said.

According to Business Insider, one of the most shocking examples was that one of the primates lacked fingers on its hands and feet due to ‘possible self-harm’ or other undetermined injury.

A UC Davis spokesperson said the researchers complied with all laws and regulations.

We began our studies at UC Davis, using both cadavers and terminally ill monkeys. The animals were enrolled in the project on the day of the terminal procedure, as they had a wide range of conditions not related to our research, the scientists said.

They explained that the absence of fingers on the macaques’ limbs could have occurred over the animals’ lifetimes due to conflicts with other monkeys.

Neuralink also stated that they are committed to working with animals in the most humane and ethical way. According to them, the lab monkeys did not have the injuries cited.

In January, Neuralink opened a vacancy for a director of clinical trials.

In the same month, Elon Musk vowed to prevent a machine uprising.

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