Elon Musk's medical device company Neuralink is under federal investigation for possible animal welfare violations, amid internal staff complaints that its animal tests are being rushed, causing unnecessary suffering and death, according to documents reviewed by Reuters and sources familiar with the company's investigation and operations.
Neuralink Corp is developing a brain implant that it hopes will help paralyzed people walk again and cure other neurological ailments. The previously unreported federal investigation was opened in recent months by the inspector general of the US Department of Agriculture at the request of a federal prosecutor, according to two sources with knowledge of the investigation. According to one of the sources, they focus on violations of the Animal Welfare Law, which regulates the treatment and testing of some animals by researchers.
The inquiries come at a time of growing employee discontent over Neuralink's animal testing, including complaints that CEO Elon Musk's pressure to speed up development has led to failed experiments, according to a Reuters review. from dozens of Neuralink documents and interviews with more than 20 current and former employees.
These failed tests have had to be repeated, increasing the number of animals being tested and dying, employees say. Company documents include previously undisclosed messages, audio recordings, emails, presentations and reports.
Musk and other Neuralink executives did not respond to requests for comment. Reuters was unable to determine the full scope of the federal investigation or whether it involved the same alleged problems with animal testing identified by employees in Reuters interviews.
A spokesman for the USDA inspector general declined to comment. The US regulations do not specify the number of animals that companies can use for research, and give scientists wide leeway to determine when and how to use animals in experiments.
Neuralink has passed all USDA inspections of its facilities, as recorded in regulatory documents. Musk has lobbied hard to speed up progress on Neuralink, which relies heavily on animal testing, current and former employees said. Earlier this year, the CEO sent his employees a newspaper article about Swiss researchers who developed an electrical implant that helped a paralyzed man walk again.
"We could allow people to use their hands and walk again in daily life!" he wrote to staff at 6:37 a.m. on February 8. Ten minutes later, he continued: "Overall, we're not moving fast enough. It's driving me nuts."
