Neuralink—DOT investigated Neuralink for illegal transport of hazardous pathogens from monkey brain implants
In February 2023, the U.S. Department of Transportation opened an investigation into Neuralink over the potentially illegal movement of hazardous pathogens. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) obtained documents suggesting unsafe packaging and transport of implants removed from monkey brains that may have carried infectious diseases including antibiotic-resistant staphylococcus and herpes B virus, in violation of federal hazardous materials law. In January 2024, DOT issued a fine of $2,480 for the violations.
Scoring Impact
| Topic | Direction | Relevance | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animal Welfare | -against | secondary | -0.50 |
| Consumer Protection | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Research Integrity | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Overall incident score = | -0.403 | ||
Score = avg(topic contributions) × significance (high ×1.5) × confidence (0.64)× agency (negligent ×0.5)
Evidence (2 signals)
Neuralink fined $2,480 by DOT for violating hazardous material transport rules
Documents obtained by Reuters showed the DOT fined Neuralink for violating hazardous material transport rules related to the unsafe movement of potentially infectious implants removed from monkey brains during research.
DOT investigated Neuralink for unsafe transport of contaminated brain implants
NBC News reported that the U.S. Department of Transportation was investigating Neuralink over potentially illegal movement of hazardous pathogens. PCRM obtained documents showing implants removed from monkey brains may have carried antibiotic-resistant staphylococcus and herpes B virus, transported without proper containment.