Cancer Patients' Ivermectin Prescriptions Jump 2.5-Fold After 60 Million-View Celebrity Endorsement
Updated
Updated · The Independent · Jun 19
Cancer Patients' Ivermectin Prescriptions Jump 2.5-Fold After 60 Million-View Celebrity Endorsement
3 articles · Updated · The Independent · Jun 19
Summary
A JAMA Network report found ivermectin prescribing for cancer patients was 2.5 times higher in January-July 2025 than a year earlier, with prescriptions doubling during that seven-month span.
Mel Gibson's January 9, 2025 appearance on Joe Rogan, where he said three friends survived cancer using ivermectin and benzimidazole, was viewed more than 60 million times across platforms.
Researchers said the rise is especially concerning because patients with life-threatening illness may delay or forgo chemotherapy for unproven regimens; white Southern men were the most likely users.
Macmillan Cancer Support said there is zero real-world clinical evidence that ivermectin treats cancer, noting lab findings involved conventional cancer drugs and have not translated to humans.
Ivermectin is approved only for parasitic infections, not cancer, and doctors warned it can add nausea and discomfort while health misinformation continues spreading on social media.
Why aren't ivermectin's lab results leading to official cancer trials, fueling a turn to celebrity-endorsed remedies?
How do media figures build such intense trust that listeners risk their lives on unproven medical advice?
When celebrity medical advice leads to harm, who is held accountable: the star, the host, or the platform?
Surge in Ivermectin Prescriptions for Cancer After Celebrity Endorsement: Risks, Misinformation, and the Erosion of Evidence-Based Care (2025–2026)
Overview
As of June 2026, the scientific community does not recommend ivermectin for cancer treatment due to a lack of strong human clinical evidence. Despite this, fringe groups and online influencers promoted ivermectin and fenbendazole as miracle cures, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This misinformation surged after actor Mel Gibson discussed unproven cancer recoveries on a popular podcast, leading to a spike in off-label prescriptions. The report highlights how celebrity endorsements and online promotion can quickly spread unproven claims, causing patients to try risky treatments instead of relying on evidence-based cancer care.