Elo Musk’s company Neuralink, which works on brain implant technology, got approval from the US Food and Drug Administration(FDA) for the trial in humans. In the past, the company faced multiple challenges in getting approval.

Key Briefing:

1. Neuralink is Elon Musk’s brain implant development company.
2. It applied for approval from FDA in 2022 for running clinical trials on humans
3. The technology aims at restoring the eyesight of blind people and giving the ability to walk again to people with severed spinal cords.

Neuralink, shared in its tweet, that the company is excited to share that it received the FDA’s approval for human clinical trials. The company mentioned the achievement as the result of incredible work by the team in collaboration with the FDA. It described the achievement as a first step towards the importance of changing the world. However, the company stated that the recruitment for the trial has not yet begun and more information would be provided soon. 

Musk stated that this technology will help people with spinal or brain injuries to regain their lost functions in the short run and it will help people who are paralyzed to walk again and people who are blind could see.

Working of Neuralink:

As mentioned on the website, Neuralink aims to connect thousands of neurons which are the cells making up the nervous system and are present within one’s brain. It will read one’s mind by connecting the neurons. While connecting the neurons, it can interpret the messages and execute the actions on our behalf.

Someone having ALS cannot speak but through Neuralink, they just have to think about what they want to say and Neuralink will transmit the thought to an external device, let’s say a speaker.

Elon Musk said that he’s confident about the presence of no physical limitations in restoring the functions of the body. He had previously said that the implants could help various conditions such as obesity, depression, and autism and allow people to surf the internet with their minds and enable telepathy too.

People with disabilities could use Neuralink for improving their memory and cognitive functions. Elon Musk had made predictions about conducting hum trials in 2019 but the company sought approval in early 2022.

Criticisms and Controversies:

Around 1500 animals were allegedly killed during the trials which was recently revealed by an investigation into the company’s animal testing protocols.

In March 2022, some employees, former and current, disclosed the concerns raised by the FDA which needed to be given attention before the approval of human trials which were the reason for the approval being rejected before. These concerns included the lithium battery of the device, safe extraction of the device from the brain without damaging the tissue, and the wires moving within the brain.

The Division of Medical Ethics head at NYU Grossman School of Medicine Art Caplan suggests caution rather than promises of the device by saying that it is really important to consider carefully the overpromising and overhyping since the subject which this device would deal with is more intricate and delicate.

The company has been subject to federal probes in the past too. According to the report on Dec 5 by Reuters that at the request of a federal prosecutor, USDA’s Inspector General was investigating the violations of the Animal Welfare Act by the company.