Elon Musk’s clinical trials do not go through a group of scientists. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) believes that Elon Musk lied when he claimed in early September that no monkeys had died during testing of Neuralink brain implants, Business Insider indicates.
With this company, Elon Musk seeks to create a human-machine interface that allows people to interact with computers, for example. Implants are primarily intended for people with reduced mobility.
In a letter obtained by Wired magazine, committee members called for an investigation into the fraud by the SEC, responsible for regulating financial markets in the United States. They point in particular to the line of defense of the businessman, who had claimed that “dying monkeys” had been used during the Neuralink tests.
Alter market prices
To make this claim, the PCRM relies on documents it obtained last year from the University of California, Davis, where the Neuralink experiments were carried out. They believe these reports prove that the monkeys suffered “extreme suffering as a result of inadequate animal care and highly invasive experimental implants in their heads.”
The committee’s website shows that at least a dozen monkeys that received the chip experienced health problems. Infections and inflammation of the brain are cited in particular, before having to sacrifice the animals. Paralysis, seizures, loss of coordination and balance, or symptoms of depression have also been observed.
If doctors complain to the SEC it is because they believe that the influence of Elon Musk’s statements on Twitter can alter market prices. “The visibility of his message is immense and affects the perception of Neuralink among the general public and potential investors,” they detail, pointing to the 157 million people who follow the billionaire on X.
This letter was made public by Wired magazine when Neuralink launched its recruitment campaign to test its implant in humans.
In the past, a post by Elon Musk in 2018 on Twitter had already led to accusations of fraud. The businessman had paid $40 million to the SEC and left the presidency of Tesla. In a class-action lawsuit, a jury concluded that Elon Musk had not misled investors with his tweet.
Source: BFM TV
