The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine accused Neuralink Corp of improper handling and shipment of potentially hazardous materials. As a result, the US Transportation Department decided to initiate an investigation. Elon Musk’s brain implant firm is the target of the investigation.
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine made an allegation. They claim that in 2019, Neuralink transported devices without following the proper procedure. Sickened primates may have contaminated the devices. The claims are based on emails obtained through a public records request. The emails show communication between Neuralink staff and employees at the University of California, Davis. Neuralink had contracted for primate research at the University of California, Davis, at the time.
The Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration made a statement. They are part of the Transportation Department. The Administration stated that they are investigating Neuralink. The purpose of the investigation is to ensure compliance with federal regulations. They aim to protect the public and workers from potentially dangerous pathogens.
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, an animal welfare group, accused Neuralink of engaging in “sloppy and unsafe” practices in a letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. The group claims that Neuralink may have transported a device from a monkey brain killed in March 2019 improperly, increasing the risk of transmitting a deadly herpes virus. Additionally, the group alleges that in April 2019, the University’s Primate Centre discovered three devices used in monkey brains back at the centre in an open box with no secondary container, violating regulations.
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine obtained emails that cited a Primate Centre employee expressing concern for human safety and warning,
“Exposure to contaminated explanted hardware is a big deal and we are worried about human safety.”