Elon Musk's implant firm, Neuralink, which wants to connect and interact with computers through the brain, has admitted that animals died during testing. The corporation, on the other hand, disputes charges of animal mistreatment.
UKRAINE - 2021/04/09: In this photo illustration, a Neuralink logo is seen on smartphones and a pc screen.
Neuralink Confirms Death of Test Monkeys
According to a blog post on the company's website, the test monkeys that Neuralink housed in the lab have already died.
On the other hand, the corporation claimed that the researchers did nothing wrong that led to their termination.
They underscored that they never abused the animals throughout their time as test subjects in the laboratory.
The test monkeys are the same macaque monkeys who played MindPong in Neuralink's April 2021 presentation video.
Neuralink also kept the monkeys at UC Davis, where the team that implanted the primates and oversaw the procedure until they parted ways with Neuralink.
Physicians Committee Said There's Animal Abuse, Foul Play Involved in Neuralink Incident
A letter was submitted to the US Department of Agriculture by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), a non-profit organization in the United States that advocates for alternatives to animal experimentation (USDA).
According to 9News, PCRM stated that Elon Musk's firm had broken the law.
In addition, the organization demanded a probe into what it described as "clear gross breaches of the Animal Welfare Act" in the care of monkeys involved in invasive brain research.
The organization said in a statement that throughout their tenure as test subjects for Neuralink, the now-deceased monkeys were subjected to animal mistreatment.
In 2017 and 2020, they presented pieces of torture and mistreatment evidence to the courts.
PCRM claimed that foul play was involved, finally resulting in the monkey's deaths.
The Physicians Committee also found a "pattern of great suffering and staff carelessness" in the documents collected for the 23 monkeys used in the tests.
According to the committee, Neuralink provided UC Davis with more than US$1.4 million in funds to conduct the studies on the macaque monkeys.
ALSO READ: Elon Musk's Neuralink, UC Davis Face Allegations on Animal Abuse for Using Monkeys in Test
Neuralink, UC Davis Reacts Over PCRM Claim
The study techniques were properly checked and validated by the campus's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, according to UC Davis spokesperson Andy Fell in a statement to KCRA 3.
The research was carried out by Neuralink experts at the California National Primate Research Center at UC Davis, according to Mr. Fell.
Fell said UC Davis, who also kept an eye on the experimental animals around the clock, gave enough veterinary care to the monkeys,
The people who knew about the incident reported the event to the IACUC, which required training and procedure adjustments as appropriate.
In addition, Neuralink stated that the business is fully committed to working with animals most compassionately and ethically possible.
It also stated that its main goal is to establish an animal care program that prioritizes the requirements of the animals over the traditional method of creating for human convenience alone.
Every animal was meticulously planned and considered to reconcile scientific discoveries with the ethical usage of animals, according to Neuralink.
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