Prescriptions for ivermectin and another antiparasitic drug among cancer patients shot up after actor Mel Gibson discussed an unproven treatment on Joe Rogan’s popular podcast, according to a new study.

**Cancer patients seek unproven antiparasitic treatments after actor’s podcast appearance**

Prescriptions for ivermectin and another antiparasitic drug among cancer patients shot up after actor Mel Gibson discussed an unproven treatment on Joe Rogan’s popular podcast, according to a [**study**](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2848862?guestAccessKey=eac21d23-2f79-4327-9990-0f4531109b52&utm_source=for_the_media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=051226) published today in *JAMA Network Open*.

Researchers say these findings raise concerns about the potency of celebrity endorsement, which can encourage people with life-threatening illnesses to delay or forgo conventional care that’s been confirmed to work in favor of unproven and arguably risky treatments.

**Prescriptions increased 2.5 times in cancer patients**

The study analyzed electronic medical records from 68,373,949 patients across 67 health systems in the United States in search of prescribing rates of ivermectin and benzimidazole. 

There have been no clinical trials on ivermectin-benzimidazole’s safety and efficacy for treating cancer in people. 

Some cell and animal studies show that the drugs can produce anti-cancer activity. But the dose needed to have even a small effect would typically be considered toxic for humans, said Skyler B. Johnson, MD, of the University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute. Johnson wasn’t involved in the study but told CIDRAP News that he worries how ivermectin might affect the way the body processes cancer treatments and other medications.

Despite this lack of proof and possible danger, Gibson claimed on Rogan’s podcast in January 2025 that a combination of ivermectin and benzimidazole cured cancer in several of his friends. 

The episode was viewed 60 million times within the first month, and prescribing rates of both medications rocketed. 

Prescribing doubled among all patients from January 1, 2025, to July 31, 2025, compared with January 1, 2024, to July 31, 2024. For cancer patients, rates were even higher, increasing 2.5 times. 

White patients, men, and people living in the South were most likely to have an ivermectin-benzimidazole prescription, according to the study. 

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2848862?guestAccessKey=eac21d23-2f79-4327-9990-0f4531109b52&utm_source=for_the_media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=051226

Which antiparasitic drug gets rid of the parasite Mel Gibson?

True story, my sister gave her boyfriend this instead of cancer treatment. stage four liver cancer. Well, after a few months he died a suffering, miserable death.

Here is my problem with this: who decides what drugs are prescribed to me? Is it up to me? No, it isn’t. What Id like to know is who these doctors are that are prescribing an anti parasitic as a cancer treatment just because their patient heard some moron say it works.

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This trend perfectly illustrates the dangerous intersection of ‘junk science’ and patient vulnerability.

While ivermectin has shown some antineoplastic mechanisms in vitro (such as importin alpha/beta inhibition), the public and podcasters fundamentally misunderstand pharmacokinetics. Achieving the IC50 required for antitumoral activity in humans would require massive, highly toxic doses that far exceed safe systemic thresholds.

From a clinical perspective, this isn’t just harmless placebo seeking; it’s a major risk. Ivermectin is a CYP3A4 and P-gp substrate, meaning unmonitored usage threatens to alter the bioavailability of actual chemotherapeutic agents through drug-drug interactions.

It’s a stark reminder that in the media age, anecdotal star power routinely overrides evidence-based medicine, jeopardizing patient outcomes (who, on top of that, are often willing to believe almost anything to help themselves). It’s just sad.

I wonder what the long term health impacts will be on people using ivermectin as a cure all. They all claim to be ‘passing’ the ‘parasites’ when they’re really just spilling out their intestinal lining

Hmm, makes sense. I get all of my medical advice from washed up actors.

How many of those cancer patients succumbed afterwards?