Viral ‘heightmaxxing’ trend has teen boys taking cancer drugs to grow taller despite doctors' warnings

Key Points:

• Medical experts are warning about a dangerous social media trend called “heightmaxxing,” where teenagers, mainly boys, are taking the cancer drug erdafitinib to try to increase their height without medical supervision.
• Erdafitinib, approved for treating advanced bladder cancer, has been linked to unexpected growth spurts in pediatric cancer patients, but these spurts can cause serious skeletal complications and do not represent healthy bone development.
• Physicians emphasize that height is largely genetic, growth plates close after puberty, and using erdafitinib for height enhancement in adolescents poses severe risks, including vision damage, metabolic issues, skeletal pain, and other side effects.
• Experts caution parents to monitor for signs of unsupervised drug use and stress that concerns about growth should be addressed by pediatricians rather than influenced by unsafe online discussions promoting unapproved medication use.
• Medical professionals urge teenagers to prioritize their health over cosmetic goals, warning that experimenting with powerful cancer drugs without medical guidance can lead to permanent and potentially life-threatening complications.