Several Investigations are Underway into Elon Musk's Neuralink for Transporting Possibly Contaminated Hardware in an Unsafe Manner

The Department of Transportation is investigating Elon Musk's company Neuralink for alleged packaging and transporting contaminated hardware in an unsafe manner, a spokesperson confirmed to Trade Algo.

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Veterinary welfare group Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine said Thursday in a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg that it had obtained public records that suggested Neuralink mishandled devices carrying infectious pathogens that posed a health threat to the public in 2019.

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It was suspected that the devices found in nonhuman primates' brains might contain viruses and antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as Staphylococcus and Klebsiella which were resistant to antibiotics. As far as PCRM was concerned, the materials had not been properly contained or transported, possibly due to the fact that Neuralink employees had not been properly trained in safety procedures.  

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A spokesperson for the Department of Transportation said that it is "standard practice" for DOT to investigate alleged violations of hazardous materials transportation regulations. DOT is conducting a standard investigation based on the information it received from PCRM to ensure compliance and the safety of workers and the public, according to the spokesperson for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

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The requests for comment from Neuralink went unanswered.

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Neuralink is one of the leading companies in the field of brain-computer interface, better known as BCI, which stands for brain-computer interface. With a brain-computer interface (BCI), patients are able to guide cursors, type, and even control smart home devices with only their thoughts using a system that deciphers brain signals and converts them into commands which can be translated into external technologies. Devices with these capabilities have been created successfully by several companies in recent years.  

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Musk, who is also Tesla's CEO.

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SpaceX, Twitter, and Neuralink were all co-founders of Neuralink in 2016 along with scientists and engineers from these three companies. Its goal is for the company to develop a BCI that will be inserted directly into the brain tissue, and while Musk has stated that he hopes to start testing the device in humans this year, the company has not yet tested it in humans. 

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PCRM obtained public records which were reviewed by Trade Algo, which relate to emails exchanged between Neuralink and UCD during the course of PCRM's investigation. Neuralink partnered with the university between 2017 and 2020 to conduct primate experiments at the university with the assistance of the university. 

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There has been a report of a UC Davis employee, whose name has been redacted, writing in an email that hazardous materials should be transported by trained hazardous material handlers by March of next year.

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A statement was made that UC Davis personnel would be "always happy" to package and ship materials if Neuralink employees lacked the necessary training and experience.

It has been reported that the explanted neural device had not been disinfected before leaving the Primate Center because the hardware components of the device were not sealed, which presents a safety risk to anyone who comes into contact with it, according to the UC Davis staffer. "Merely labeling something as 'hazardous' does not take into account the possible risk of contracting Herpes B as a result of that exposure." 

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In an email in April of 2019, a staff member at UC Davis, whose name has been redacted, explained that three explant devices were delivered in an "open box with no secondary container" in an "open box." In his opinion, monkey-contaminated hardware puts primate center members at risk because it is uncontained and contaminated, putting them in danger.

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“It is extremely dangerous for everyone who comes into contact with this contaminated explanted hardware, and we are taking this issue very seriously for the sake of human safety,” said the employee.

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In order to obtain these records, PCRM submitted a public information request to UC Davis for the purpose of obtaining them. There is no public records law applicable to Neuralink since it is a private company. Responses to requests for comment from UC Davis representatives were not received. 

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In the past, PCRM has expressed concerns regarding Neuralink, an organization that uses animal testing in medical research. As early as February 2022, the group filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture claiming that Neuralink violated the Animal Welfare Act as a result of its partnership with UC Davis. According to a report from Reuters, the USDA Inspector General has been tasked with investigating the allegations, which have apparently been referred to the federal government.

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In addition, the advocacy group requested the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December to investigate Neuralink in the event that it may have violated good laboratory practices. 

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In response to our request, USDA and FDA representatives did not respond to our request for comment.

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In Neuralink's latest investigation, the DOT found that the company was "sloppy in a whole new way," according to Ryan Merkley, the director of research advocacy at PCRM. The UC Davis spokesperson said despite the fact that there is no evidence that anyone has been infected by exposure to the hardware, the tone of concern expressed in the emails by UC Davis personnel indicates the seriousness of this possible pathogen leak. 

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“The fact that there is a whole other facet to this is that it obviously affects not only the animals involved but also the staff of Neuralink and UC Davis as well,” he said.