15 monkeys implanted with billionaire Elon Musk's Neuralink brain chip have died

Most of the monkeys implanted with Neuralink brain chips have died - Photo: CONSEQUENCE

Business Insider and the New York Post quoted Physicians for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) as saying that an animal rights group had reviewed more than 700 pages of documents, veterinary records, and reports on the level of necrosis of monkeys implanted with Neuralink brain chips. These are public records at the University of California Davis (UC Davis) in the US.

The brain chip project has attracted a lot of attention from celebrities such as singer Grimes and rapper Lil Uzi Vert. On social media, people with paralysis often ask billionaire Musk to speed up the experiment of connecting the brain to the Internet.

Musk previously said he hoped to begin human trials of the chip in 2021, but that target has been pushed back to 2022. Based on PCRM's findings, implanting chips in human brains may not be ready yet.

"Quite a few monkeys that have had chips implanted in their heads have had serious health effects. Frankly, they've killed these animals," said Jeremy Beckham, research director at PCRM.

The Neuralink chips were implanted by drilling holes into the skulls of monkeys. One monkey in the test developed a bleeding skin infection. Meanwhile, other monkeys were missing fingers and toes.

One-third of the monkeys began vomiting uncontrollably immediately after surgery, and in the following days they “appeared to collapse from exhaustion and fatigue.” Autopsies revealed brain hemorrhages.

PCRM filed a complaint with the US Department of Agriculture on February 10, accusing UC Davis and Neuralink of nine violations of the Animal Welfare Act.

"Many of the monkeys involved in the experiment suffered extreme pain due to inadequate care. The highly invasive head implantation experiment was conducted with the aim of developing what Neuralink and billionaire Elon Musk have publicly described as a 'machine brain,'" PCRM wrote in the complaint.

A UC Davis spokesperson later responded to the complaint: "We strive to provide the best possible care for the animals in our care. Animal research is strictly regulated and UC Davis complies with all applicable laws and regulations, including those of the U.S. Department of Agriculture."

The spokesperson added that the university ended its partnership with Neuralink in 2020. However, the agency has not yet responded.

Neurotechnology company Neuralink was founded by billionaire Elon Musk in 2016.

The company's goal is to help people recover from traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, treat depression and other mental health disorders, and connect people to the Internet in the long term.

The company often touts its successes, such as a 2021 video showing a baboon controlling a ball with its mind.

According to Tuoi Tre