Sorry, we left an implant in your brain

Julia Longoria, a host and editorial director for Vox’s Unexplainable podcast, recently covered the story of Jennifer French, a professional in consumer tech who suffered a spinal injury in a skiing accident in 1998. French underwent a groundbreaking surgery at Case Western Reserve University that implanted electrodes in her muscles, enabling her to move her legs using a remote control. Initially, the clinical trial only offered a temporary solution, but a company, Neuro Control, aimed to commercialize the device for long-term use.

However, when French learned about the company’s financial struggles in 2001, she feared being left paralyzed again with abandoned electrodes in her body. This fear of abandonment is a common experience for many neurotech implant patients worldwide. Journalist Liam Drew, who has been reporting on the issue for years, highlighted French’s story in a Nature article.

While French was fortunate to receive ongoing support for her device, others have not been as lucky, facing the abandonment of life-changing technology inside their bodies. Longoria explores these stories on the latest episode of Unexplainable, discussing how the growing neurotech industry could prevent similar situations in the future.