Controversial drug prescriptions double after Mel Gibson remark
New York Post • • health
Key Points:
- Following Mel Gibson’s January 2025 podcast claim that ivermectin and fenbendazole cured three friends of Stage 4 cancer, prescriptions for this unproven cancer treatment surged, especially among young men, white patients, and those in the Southern U.S.
- Experts warn there is no clinical evidence supporting the safety or efficacy of these drugs for cancer treatment, and doses that show anti-cancer activity in labs would be toxic to humans; ivermectin may also interfere with standard cancer therapies.
- The UCLA-led study highlights concerns that patients might delay or skip proven cancer treatments in favor of unproven regimens promoted by celebrity endorsements, potentially risking their lives.
- Researchers emphasize that while the study does not prove direct causation between the podcast and prescription spike, it raises urgent questions about patient behavior, prescribing practices, and the need for timely, trustworthy health information.
- Ivermectin, previously controversial during the Covid-19 pandemic, remains unproven for viral infections or cancer, with ongoing preclinical research but no current human clinical trial evidence supporting its use for these conditions.