Recently, four members of the U.S. Congress jointly wrote to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), requesting the agency to review Neuralink, Musk’s brain-computer interface company. They believe that the brain implant device developed by Neuralink misled investors about its safety and that Musk may be guilty of securities fraud.
It is reported that the content of the letter shows that those requesting the investigation are Democratic Representative Earl Blumenauer of Oregon, Democratic Representative Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, and Democratic Representatives Barbara Lee and Tony Cardenas of California.
Amid calls for Neuralink to be reviewed, Neuralink is about to begin human trials. Thousands of people are reportedly lining up to receive Neuralink's brain implants, a key milestone in the startup's efforts to help patients overcome paralysis and a range of neurological conditions.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Neuralink to begin human trials of its device. In September, Neuralink began recruiting for its first human trial. Neuralink plans to perform 11 human surgeries next year, 27 in 2025, and 79 in 2026.
The above-mentioned letter also mentioned that Neuralink’s experimental records on monkeys showed that brain implants had “debilitating effects” on the animals’ health, including paralysis, seizures, and brain swelling.
At least 12 young, healthy monkeys were euthanized "as a direct result of problems with the company's implanted devices." However, the letter noted that Neuralink CEO Musk downplayed investor concerns about its animal testing results.
On September 10, Musk wrote on his social media site He added that the company selected "near-death" monkeys to minimize risks to healthy monkeys.
However, according to media reports, public documents obtained by the American College of Responsible Physicians (PCRM) show that macaques that previously participated in Neuralink experiments suffered a variety of complications, including "bloody diarrhea, partial paralysis, and cerebral edema," and were eventually euthanized. The American Association of Responsible Physicians is a non-profit organization dedicated to the abolition of live animal testing.
Rep. Earl Blumenauer said the evidence they reviewed showed that the deaths of animals in Neuralink experiments "are directly related to the safety and marketability of the Neuralink brain-computer interface."
As a result, the lawmakers wrote that Musk's statement "may have violated" SEC rules denying the connection. Neuralink employees have also previously said that the company hastily performed surgeries on monkeys, pigs and sheep, resulting in too many animal deaths.
Musk pressured employees to conduct extensive experiments and provide the safety data required by the FDA to authorize human testing.