Undercover reporter offered fenbendazole and ivermectin as cancer treatment

Key Points:

• A BBC investigation revealed that fenbendazole, an animal dewormer, and ivermectin, a scabies treatment, are being sold and promoted as unproven cancer cures, including by a stairlift salesman in south Wales.
• Macmillan Cancer Support and medical experts warn there is no clinical evidence supporting these drugs for cancer treatment, and their use could harm patients or delay effective conventional therapies.
• Despite being prescription-only or veterinary medicines not licensed for human cancer treatment, these drugs were easily purchased online, including on Amazon, which has since removed the listings following the BBC's inquiry.
• Doctors caution that these unproven treatments may cause harmful side effects, interact negatively with standard cancer medications, and lead vulnerable patients to forgo proven treatments, potentially resulting in worse outcomes.
• The MHRA is investigating illegal sales and has seized large quantities of these drugs intended for human use, emphasizing the need for regulatory enforcement to prevent harm from misinformation and unsafe self-medication.