Michael Lemma, Co-Founder of Hope Oncology, Executive Director of October Breast Cancer Survivor’s Support Group at Hiwot Fana Cancer Treatment Center, shared on LinkedIn:
“My patient with stage IV colorectal cancer recently brought me Fenbendazole purchased abroad, a reminder of how strongly social media can influence treatment decisions.
Celebrity testimonials, including claims about Fenbendazole and Ivermectin shared by Mel Gibson on Joe Rogan’s podcast, can offer powerful hope.
But testimonials cannot establish what caused a remission, particularly when details of the diagnosis and other treatments are unknown.Drug repurposing is a legitimate scientific approach. However, laboratory activity does not establish safety or effectiveness in patients. Neither fenbendazole nor ivermectin has robust clinical evidence supporting routine use as a cancer treatment.
Fenbendazole is a veterinary antiparasitic, while ivermectin has approved human uses for certain parasitic infections.
A colleague and I previously made a TikTok video addressing these claims. The accurate message is not ‘there is no research,’ but ‘research interest is not proof of clinical benefit.’
Potential harms include toxicity, drug interactions, and delays in effective treatment. Liver injury has been reported with self administered Fenbendazole.
So I ask my colleagues:
How do you address viral treatment claims? What should be the scope of this practice? It’s now common more than ever.”
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