Nature Biotechnology recently published an article written by faculty Director Gary Marchant, along with five other industry experts, that focuses on mobilizing the private sector for innovation in neurotechnology. With neurotechnology getting more advanced, it is raising questions on personal autonomy, privacy and many other sensitive issues. While public sector research initiatives have implemented measures to prevent any of these issues, similar measures in the private sector have yet to emerge. This is important to note, as much of the innovation in neurotech is driven by a set of companies that could be vulnerable to public scrutiny.
The discussion details “lessons, emerging practices and open questions for responsible innovation in the private sector that are the result of three years of policy deliberations.” Joining Marchant in co-authoring the piece are: David Winickoff, Organisation For Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD); David Benrimoh McGill University; Judy Illes University of British Columbia and Nina Frahm & Sebastian M. Pfotenhauer from the Munich Center for Technology in Society (MCTS) and TUM School of Management, Technical University of Munich.