Neuralink receives approval to begin human trials in Canada

Neuralink’s first clinical trials outside the US will take place in Canada. Neuralink has received approval from Health Canada to launch human trials in the country, with Toronto Western Hospital being the “first and exclusive surgical site” for the procedure. The company first opened its Canadian patient registry in March this year, but is now actively looking for potential participants. “Recruitment is now open,” announced X.

Under the CAN-PRIME study, Neuralink will embed its implant in the participant’s brain to be able to describe their neural activity. The implant will allow them to control a computer or smartphone with their brain without the need for wires or any kind of physical movement. Neuralink says the study aims to “test the safety of [its] to install and surgical robot and test the initial performance of [its Brain Computer Interface] so that people with quadriplegia can control external devices with their thoughts.” What he learns from the tests could help the company find safer ways to place the tumor inside the brain, as well as improve the technology’s capabilities.

Neuralink’s first human patient (pictured above) received his transplant earlier this year. He experienced some complications, when the implant wires pulled out of his brain, although he seems to be doing well these days. At X, he said he will soon challenge himself to use Neuralink for 72 hours to demonstrate what the technology can do. In its second patient, Neuralink used reduction techniques to prevent cord retraction. That patient was already using computer-aided design (CAD) software a few weeks after his surgery in July. Currently, Neuralink is specifically targeting patients with “limited or no ability to use both hands due to spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)” in its trials in Canada.