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Ivermectin prescribing more than doubled after a celebrity podcast cancer claim
A UCLA-led study in JAMA Network Open found ivermectin-benzimidazole prescribing roughly doubled after a January 2025 celebrity podcast claim. What the study found and what it does and doesn't mean.
Original commentary from the Cancer Explained editorial team.
Please note: this page is educational only — it is not medical advice, and it does not speculate about anyone’s health beyond reliable public reporting. For questions about your own health, talk with your healthcare team.
Prescriptions for ivermectin and related anti-parasite drugs roughly doubled in the months after a celebrity described them as a cancer treatment on a popular podcast. That is the finding of a study published May 12, 2026, in the peer-reviewed journal JAMA Network Open.
Ivermectin is not approved to treat cancer. You may have seen it shared online as a hidden cure. The evidence does not support that.
What happened
On January 9, 2025, actor Mel Gibson appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast. According to UCLA Health, he described three friends with stage IV cancer who he said recovered after taking ivermectin and fenbendazole. Fenbendazole is a benzimidazole, a type of drug used against worms in animals.
What the study found
Researchers from UCLA, Virginia Tech, and the University of Michigan looked at electronic health records from 67 health care organizations across the US. They compared January to July 2025 with the same months in 2024.
- Overall prescribing rose about 2 times (rate ratio 1.97).
- Among people with cancer, it rose about 2.6 times.
- The biggest rise was in the South: about 3.1 times overall, and 3.9 times among people with cancer.
UCLA Health noted that "no clinical trials have shown they are safe or effective for treating cancer in people." The researchers said endorsements like this could lead people to unproven treatments, at the risk of delaying or skipping treatments confirmed to work.
What this does not mean
The study shows that prescribing rose after the podcast. It cannot prove the podcast caused the rise. The authors also note that the data show orders, not whether people picked up or took the drugs. And the study could not tell whether anyone used these drugs in place of standard cancer care.
What ivermectin is approved for
The FDA says ivermectin tablets are approved for two conditions caused by parasitic worms. Some skin forms are approved for head lice and rosacea. The FDA warns never to use animal medicines on people, and that too much ivermectin can cause seizures, coma, and even death.
Our guide How to spot "wellness" cancer protocols explains red flags and questions to ask. Our ivermectin claim check goes deeper.
When to get help
Tell your care team about anything you are taking or thinking of taking. If a symptom is new or lasts, get it checked. For an emergency, call 911. For a possible overdose, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222.
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Put the story in context
Prevention, possible warning signs, screening, and diagnosis
This story relates to Cancer misinformation. The information below is general: it does not reveal anything else about a public person’s health, and not every point applies to every cancer. Personal advice depends on age, symptoms, family history, exposures, and medical history.
Prevention and risk reduction
Not every cancer can be prevented. Avoiding tobacco, protecting skin from ultraviolet radiation, limiting alcohol, staying active, and receiving recommended HPV or hepatitis B vaccination can lower the risk of certain cancers. A risk factor is not a prediction or a cause in one individual.
Symptoms and possible early signs
Possible signs vary and are often caused by conditions other than cancer. Changes worth discussing include a new lump, unexplained bleeding or weight loss, a persistent cough, lasting bowel or bladder changes, a changing skin spot, or symptoms that persist or worsen. Some early cancers cause no symptoms.
Screening and early detection
Screening looks for certain cancers before symptoms begin. Recommended tests exist only for some cancers and depend on age and risk. Screening can have benefits and harms; it is not the same as evaluating a new symptom, and there is no single routine scan or blood test that reliably screens for every cancer.
How cancer is diagnosed
Diagnosis may involve a history and exam, imaging, laboratory tests, and often a biopsy. Pathology can identify the cancer type and may test biomarkers that guide treatment. Symptoms, screening results, tumor markers, or online stories alone cannot confirm cancer.
A public story may encourage questions, but it should not be used to estimate your risk or choose testing. Contact a healthcare professional about a persistent or concerning change. Seek urgent care for severe or rapidly worsening symptoms.