Elon Musk, the well-known business tycoon, is not only the owner of companies such as Tesla, SpaceX and Twitter, but he is also the founder of Neuralink, a neurotechnology company that aims to implant a chip in the human brain to correct neurological problems that can cause disabilities in humans.
However, despite Musk’s enthusiasm in December last year, where he stated that “in the next 6 months we’re going to be able to start human testing of Neuralink,” the company does not yet have the backing of U.S. authorities to conduct such tests. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the entity in charge of granting the necessary permits and, according to them, the technology is not safe enough to implant a chip in a human brain.
Specifically, the FDA pointed out that there are at least a dozen aspects in which Neuralink would have to improve in order to obtain the necessary approval to carry out human trials. Among the most prominent issues are concerns about the lithium battery used by the technology, which could cause damage to brain tissue when the chip is put in or removed. In addition, the FDA also has concerns about the overall safety of the technology and the possibility that it could cause long-term damage.
Neuralink employees who have spoken to media outlets such as Reuters acknowledge that they do not expect the company to get FDA approval any time soon. According to one former employee, “He (Musk) is not able to see that this is not a car. This is a person’s brain. This is not a toy.” This makes it clear that the process of implanting a chip in the human brain is not something to be taken lightly, as it involves a vital organ that is essential to human life.
In any case, the FDA’s rejection is not final, which means that Neuralink still has the opportunity to work and improve on the process of implementing, maintaining and removing the chip in the brain in order to gain official approval. While Neuralink’s technology could be a breakthrough in science and medicine, the process of implanting chips into the human brain is something that must be done with care and caution to ensure the safety and well-being of the people involved.
In conclusion, although the goal of Neuralink is to correct neurological problems that can lead to disabilities in humans, there is still a long way to go before human trials can be conducted. It is important to remember that the safety and well-being of people must always be the number one priority in any scientific or technological advance.
