Neuralink’s ‘breakthrough device’ clearance from FDA does not mean they have cured blindness
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Neuralink's Telepathy Receives FDA 'Breakthrough' Tag
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The Facts
Neuralink — billionaire Elon Musk's brain-chip startup — announced Tuesday that its experimental implant for restoring vision in patients, titled Telepathy, had received the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) "breakthrough device" designation.
The FDA distributes the designation to medical devices that diagnose or target life-threatening conditions, so as to speed up the development and review process for such technologies.
The Spin
Narrative A
Just when we thought Musk’s contributions were limited to Tesla and SpaceX, he surprises us with something as groundbreaking as Blindsight. This new medical development could be the X owner's great gift to society.
Narrative B
There are numerous biological obstacles related to the eyes — both in people who've lost their sight and those who have been blind since birth — that must be overcome before there's even the slightest hope of a breakthrough with this device. A cure for blindness is a long way off, and we should not be jumping to give Musk credit before any hard evidence of progress is provided.