Celebrity Endorsement Sparks Off-Label Cancer Drug Surge
A UCLA-led study finds cancer patients’ prescriptions for the off-label combo of ivermectin and fenbendazole surged more than 2.5 times after Mel Gibson’s January 2025 appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, though there is no solid human evidence these drugs treat cancer. Increases were largest among men, White patients, and residents of the U.S. South; researchers caution that causation isn’t proven and unproven therapies could delay effective treatments, while some scientists note the drugs’ preclinical anti-cancer activity at doses not safe for humans. The study calls for careful communication and more research into potential harms and any true anti-cancer properties.
