Brain-Computer Interfaces at the Crossroads: Navigating Ethical Issues in Clinical Application

Abstract

: Recently, brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) have developed rapidly. They are increasingly used to treat patients with severe neurological disorders. This paper analysed the ethical issues raised during the real-world applications of BCIs, including mental privacy, user autonomy, safety, responsibility, and social justice. BCIs raise unique ethical risks because they directly interact with the cognition and intention process of neurons. These issues put BCIs into the limelight. However, the analysis has shown that the risks do not outweigh the medical value of BCIs when ethical frameworks, appropriate procedures, and strict regulations are applied. The paper emphasized that the benefits of BCIs are irreplaceable for targeted patients. This study also indicates that the ethical issues should guide, rather than prevent, the further development and real-world applications of brain–computer interfaces.