U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) employees overseeing Elon Musk's Neuralink clinical trials were abruptly terminated over the weekend as part of a broader government workforce purge, according to a report.
Neuralink's research is highly regulated by the FDA, particularly its Office of Neurological and Physical Medicine Devices, which oversees clinical-trial applications for experimental brain implants, Reuters reported.
The recent layoffs have sparked concerns over conflicts of interest and regulatory oversight. Sources familiar with the matter told the outlet that approximately 20 employees in the FDA's medical device review division were terminated, including several who were directly involved in evaluating Neuralink's clinical trials.
These individuals were reportedly on probationary status—meaning they had less than two years of service—leaving them vulnerable to dismissal with minimal legal protections.
While the White House has denied any direct targeting of Neuralink regulators, critics argue that these layoffs could weaken the FDA's ability to effectively monitor the safety of the trial.
Victor Krauthamer, a former FDA official with three decades of experience, warned that the firings could intimidate remaining FDA scientists and jeopardize the overall security of participants.
Notably, the dismissal letters cited performance issues, despite sources stating that the employees had received strong performance reviews just weeks prior. Additionally, supervisors were reportedly not consulted before the layoffs, learning about them only after their employees were let go.
The FDA, White House and Musk have not responded to requests for comment.
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