Neuralink human testing has reportedly received one FDA rejection already

The revolutionary technology company Neuralink is no stranger to headlines in recent times. With their plan to make the human brain more connected, they have been the topic of conversation in many circles. It seems, however, that the company has recently hit a snag in their plan.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reportedly denied Neuralink’s request for volunteers to go through the testing phase of their implantable device. The device is meant to be connected to individual’s brains to allow for doctors to monitor patients and even potentially allow for wireless control of prosthetic limbs.

Although Neuralink had reportedly submitted a request back in January of 2020, no response from FDA had been received by the company. It seems, however, that the regulatory agency had dealt a blow to the company by rejecting their request.

The reason behind the denial is still unknown, with the FDA explicitly stating they will not comment on the decision or their communication with any individual companies. Einstein Analytics – a third-party firm owned by Neuralink – did release a statement expressing the hopefulness that further negotiations and requests will be accepted in the future.

The rejection marks a disappointing setback for Neuralink’s ambitious plans to have humans subjects implanted with the innovative technology. Currently, the only testing that the company has conducted thus far has been limited to animal models.

The initial response to the request had been one of excitement and optimism from both the general public and the neuroscience community. Many had hoped that with FDA approval, the technology could be used for a variety of medical purposes, such as helping those suffering from paralysis, epilepsy and even depression.

The future of Neuralink and their plans remains uncertain at the moment. With one FDA disapproval already and no word on the status of further requests, it looks like it may be a while before any human testing even begins. In the meantime, the world waits with bated breath for any news on the status of this potentially revolutionary technology.