Controversial medical research firm Neuralink has responded to reports that more than a dozen monkeys died following experimental chip implants in their brain. Headquartered in San Francisco, Calif., Neuralink is a neuro-technology company co-founded by Elon Musk in 2016 and is said to be gearing up for its first human trials. The company has a stated goal of helping people recover from debilitating brain and spinal cord injuries and various mental disorders with the help of chips implanted into their brains.
Animals rights activists are accusing Neuralink of recklessly torturing, maiming and killing animals by conducting experimental procedures that are nowhere near ready for prime-time. According to reports, the vast majority of the monkeys and primates with experimental implants from Neuralink died a painful death after suffering from debilitating health effects. While some had to be euthanized because they were in agonizing pain, others suffered a brain hemorrhage following the operation.
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Neuralink, which is developing a 'brain-machine' interface, is now fighting back at allegations of animal torture. In a blog post on the official Neuralink website, the company blamed the activists for opposing the use of animals in medical research. It did not admit to the allegations of animal cruelty but did not deny any specific charges against it, either. According to the company, all medical devices and procedures have to be tested on primates before they are implemented on humans, and it isn't just Neuralink that is experimenting on monkeys to fine-tune the process. The company also claimed that it is committed to treating animals in the «most humane
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