Celebrity Endorsement Spurs Surge in Off-Label Cancer Treatments

After Mel Gibson cited ivermectin and fenbendazole on Joe Rogan's podcast, a JAMA Network Open study found cancer-related prescriptions for the ivermectin–benzimidazole combo nearly doubled in the month after, with larger increases among men, White patients, ages 18–64, and residents of southern states. The researchers caution that the study is observational and cannot prove causation, and they note there is no clinical evidence supporting the safety or effectiveness of this treatment for cancer; clinicians advise consulting qualified healthcare professionals and acknowledge the possibility some patients obtained the drugs without prescriptions.