In recent days, a wave of layoffs has hit the Food and Drug Administration FDA, and it has also affected key personnel involved in the review of applications from Neuralink, Elon Musk‘s brain-interface implant company. This cut, which involved about 20 employees, is part of a broader purge of the federal workforce, raising concerns among experts about the potential compromise of the agency’s ability to quickly review medical applications.
The loss of staff could indeed have serious consequences for the protection and effectiveness of trials. The reduction in personnel could hinder the agency’s ability to process devices quickly and safely. It could significantly delay the development and approval of new technologies, putting patients’ health at risk and slowing innovation in the sector.
Victor Krauthamer, a former FDA official, expressed concerns about the entire process of supervising Neuralink’s procedures and emphasized the need to protect the subjects involved in the tests.
After spending over $250 million on Donald Trump’s re-election, Musk is now leading a historic revolution aimed at reducing public spending, including at agencies that regulate his companies, such as Tesla and SpaceX.
The billionaire South African’s company, founded in 2016, which is currently testing a device capable of allowing individuals with motor disabilities to use digital equipment through thought, has also initiated trials of an implant aimed at restoring vision. Last year, the FDA granted this device a special designation to accelerate its development.
The layoff process has sparked considerable controversy, especially regarding its methods. The layoff letters received by employees cited productivity reasons, despite the recent high ratings they had received. Anonymous sources added that even supervisors were not consulted before the decision.
