Neuralink has obtained authorization from Health Canada to start clinical trials in Canada. The company will now seek volunteers for its wireless brain implant months after starting in the US.
Neuralink has brought its PRIME Study clinical trials to Canada and opened a registry for intending participants. The study, named CAN-PRIME and which will last for four years, will surgically embed the company’s coin-sized N1 Implant in a volunteer’s head using a specialized R1 Robot.
Neuralink explains that the implant will record and transmit brain activity, allowing the subject to control a computer with their mind with a smartphone app.
Eligible candidates must have limited function in all four limbs (quadriplegia) due to spinal cord injuries. They must also be at least 19 years old and have a reliable caregiver.
The PRIME Study trial was approved in the US in 2023, and Neuralink started recruiting participants late in the year. The first implant occurred in January, and the patient could control a computer mouse with their mind. The second patient got the implant in August.
Elon Musk has said Neuralink will be able to cure some diseases, such as schizophrenia, seizures, and memory problems. It will also help patients regain the use of their limbs. Ultimately, it will enable a symbiosis between humans and artificial intelligence in the future.
We’re happy to announce that Health Canada has approved the launch of our first clinical trial in Canada! Recruitment is now open.
If you have quadriplegia due to ALS or SCI, you may qualify. Visit our Patient Registry to learn more and apply.https://t.co/5BySJABkkO
— Neuralink (@neuralink) November 20, 2024
