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Elon Musk’s medical technology company Neuralink is reportedly under investigation by federal authorities over allegations that the tech mogul’s pressure to report results led to barbaric and botched surgeries on monkeys, sheep and pigs involved in scientific tests.
Neuralink, which is trying to make a brain implant that could help paralyzed people regain limb function and treat neurological conditions, has killed around 1,500 animals involved in tests since 2018, Portal reported. The Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Agriculture launched an investigation under the Animal Welfare Act in recent months, the intelligence service reported.
Neuralink officials did not respond to a request for comment. The Department of Agriculture referred questions to the Office of the Inspector General. Amy Lowenthal, the assistant attorney general for the inspector general, said in an email that the agency “neither confirms nor denies the existence of such an investigation.”
In its report, Portal cites reviews of internal records, interviews with sources with knowledge of the company’s operations and people with knowledge of the investigation. The Washington Post has not confirmed the existence of an investigation or the number of animals killed.
Musk is already embroiled in controversy over his recent takeover of Twitter. Shortly after privatizing the platform for $44 billion, he laid off half his workforce and then saw hundreds more workers leave after vowing to enforce a “hardcore” work environment. Days later, he allowed former President Donald Trump and leader of hate groups back onto the platform after previous suspensions.
Elon Musk’s ‘Twitter Files’ ignite divisions but haven’t changed minds
Musk’s electric-car maker Tesla is also facing a lawsuit from an employee alleging rampant sexual harassment stemming from Musk’s intense focus on productivity and a laissez-faire attitude toward company culture. Tesla has denied the allegations.
Neuralink employees told Portal that Musk had urged researchers to speed up their work, prompting some to rush experiments on animals in their care.
“In general, we just don’t move fast enough. It’s driving me insane!” Musk wrote in a February email obtained by the news service.
Medical research companies typically conduct animal testing to ensure the technology is safe enough for human testing. After these procedures, the animals are often euthanized to allow researchers to perform autopsies and evaluate the technology.
But animal testing is strictly regulated by federal law to prevent undue pain and suffering. Employees claimed to Portal that the number of animals killed was excessive due to human error caused by Musk’s demands – including an episode in which 86 pigs and two monkeys died after botched tests.
In early 2022, Portal reported, an employee wrote an angry message to colleagues complaining about operations being “hack jobs.” In February, an animal rights group filed a complaint with federal authorities over surgeries that resulted in the deaths of six monkeys.