Neuralink receives FDA clearance for second brain chip implant

The U.S. FDA has granted Elon Musk's Neuralink approval to implant its brain chip in a second patient, following a corrective proposal after an issue with the first implantation, reports the Wall Street Journal.

Earlier this month, Neuralink disclosed that tiny wires in the brain of its first patient had shifted out of position. According to sources, the company was aware of this potential problem from prior animal testing.

To address the issue, Neuralink plans to embed some wires deeper into the brain. The second implantation is expected in June, with plans to reach a total of 10 patients by the end of the year. Over 1,000 quadriplegics have registered for the trial. Additionally, Neuralink aims to seek regulatory approval in Canada and Britain for similar trials in the coming months.

While the FDA has not commented on the specifics of Neuralink's trials, the company noted that the first patient successfully controlled a computer mouse using thoughts, experiencing "no ill effects." The procedure involves a robot placing a brain-computer interface implant in the brain's movement intention region.