A groundbreaking study led by researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, and the University of Michigan has uncovered a dramatic increase in prescriptions for ivermectin combined with benzimidazole drugs following high-profile celebrity endorsements. This research publication highlights how misinformation can rapidly influence healthcare decisions, particularly among vulnerable cancer patients seeking alternative treatments.
🔬 The Catalyst: Celebrity Endorsement on a Global Podcast Platform
On January 9, 2025, during episode 2254 of The Joe Rogan Experience, actor Mel Gibson shared a compelling personal anecdote. He described how three friends diagnosed with stage IV cancer reportedly achieved full remission after using a combination of ivermectin and fenbendazole, a benzimidazole-class antiparasitic typically used in veterinary medicine. The episode garnered over 60 million views across platforms in its first month, amplifying these claims to a massive audience primarily consisting of younger white males in the southern United States.
This moment marked the beginning of what researchers now describe as a surge in off-label prescribing. Ivermectin, originally discovered in the 1970s and awarded the Nobel Prize in 2015 for its role in treating parasitic diseases like river blindness, gained notoriety during the COVID-19 pandemic for unproven uses. Fenbendazole, meanwhile, lacks approval for human use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), raising immediate safety concerns when repurposed without clinical backing.
📊 Methodology of the Landmark Study
The study, published on May 12, 2026, in JAMA Network Open, analyzed deidentified electronic health records from the TriNetX network, encompassing data from 68,373,949 patients aged 18 to 90 across 67 U.S. healthcare organizations. Researchers focused on same-day prescriptions for ivermectin plus any benzimidazole (such as fenbendazole, mebendazole, albendazole, or thiabendazole) in ambulatory and emergency settings.
Monthly prescribing rates per 1,000 patients were calculated and compared between January to July 2025 (post-endorsement) and the same period in 2024 (pre-endorsement). Age- and sex-adjusted Poisson regression models yielded rate ratios (RR) with 99.5% confidence intervals, stratified by cancer status (using ICD-10 codes C00-D49 within the prior 12 months), age groups, sex, race/ethnicity, and U.S. census regions. This rigorous, large-scale approach provided unprecedented insights into real-world prescribing behaviors.
Key Findings: A Doubling in Overall Prescriptions, Triple Among Cancer Patients
The results were stark. Overall prescribing rates for the ivermectin-benzimidazole combination doubled in the post-endorsement period, with an RR of 1.97 (99.5% CI, 1.70-2.29). For patients with a cancer diagnosis, the increase was even more pronounced, surging 2.63 times (RR 2.63; 99.5% CI, 2.08-3.24).
- Younger adults (18-64 years): RR 2.12 overall, up to 2.81 for cancer patients aged 40-64.
- Males: RR 2.11 overall, 2.79 for those with cancer.
- White patients: RR 2.61 overall, 3.05 for cancer cases.
- Southern U.S.: RR 3.12 overall, a whopping 3.91 for cancer patients.
These patterns closely mirrored the podcast's audience demographics, underscoring the power of targeted media influence.
Demographic and Regional Disparities in the Surge
The study's stratified analyses revealed telling disparities. In the U.S. South, prescription rates skyrocketed, potentially reflecting higher podcast listenership and lower trust in traditional medical institutions in certain communities. White males under 65, a core demographic for such platforms, showed the steepest climbs, while increases were more modest among older adults, females, and non-white groups.
This regional variation highlights broader public health challenges, including varying access to evidence-based information and historical skepticism toward pharmaceutical interventions. Researchers noted that while the South saw nearly fourfold increases among cancer patients, other regions like the Northeast experienced minimal change.
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🧬 Preclinical Evidence: Why the Hype Persists
While clinical proof is absent, preclinical studies from universities worldwide have fueled interest. Ivermectin demonstrates antitumor effects in lab settings, inhibiting proliferation, metastasis, and angiogenesis in various cancer cell lines through mechanisms like PAK1 kinase inhibition and mitochondrial dysfunction induction. A 2020 review from Chinese researchers detailed these properties across breast, ovarian, and colorectal cancers.
Benzimidazoles like fenbendazole similarly disrupt microtubules essential for cancer cell division. Institutions such as the National Cancer Institute (NCI) are now pursuing preclinical investigations into ivermectin's potential, spurred by public demand. However, translating these findings to humans requires rigorous clinical trials, a step yet to yield positive outcomes. For detailed preclinical insights, see the comprehensive review on ivermectin's anticancer potential.
Clinical Trials: Current Landscape from Leading Universities
A handful of early-phase trials explore repurposed antiparasitics. One notable effort, NCT07487805 at a U.S. institution, combines ivermectin with immune checkpoint inhibitors for advanced solid tumors, building on Ecuadorian surveys where 19% of cancer patients used it adjunctively. Anticancer Inc. is also testing ivermectin alongside recombinant methioninase in pancreatic cancer models at university-affiliated labs.
Yet, experts emphasize that these are exploratory. No phase III trials confirm efficacy or safety for cancer. Virginia Tech's Michelle Rockwell and UCLA's John Mafi stress that off-label surges risk diverting patients from proven therapies like chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted drugs.
Explore ongoing trials via ClinicalTrials.gov.
Risks and Public Health Implications
The primary concern is treatment delay. Cancer patients, facing life-threatening diagnoses, may prioritize unproven regimens over standard care, leading to progression and worse survival. Ivermectin is safe at antiparasitic doses but untested at anticancer levels; fenbendazole's human pharmacokinetics are unknown, posing toxicity risks.
This phenomenon echoes COVID-19 ivermectin hype, where observational data showed increased hospitalizations. Academia calls for point-of-care misinformation countermeasures, clinician training, and public education campaigns.
Academic Perspectives: Voices from the Research Community
Senior author John N. Mafi from UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine warns of eroding trust in institutions amplifying celebrity sway. Co-author Kimberly Kahn, from UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, notes the ethical imperative for rapid-response research to quantify harms.
Oncologists at institutions like the University of Minnesota's CIDRAP highlight patient inquiries surging post-podcast. Virginia Tech's Rockwell, drawing from prior COVID studies, advocates multidisciplinary approaches involving higher education to combat health misinformation.
Broader Impacts on Higher Education and Research Funding
This study exemplifies how universities leverage big data for real-world evidence, informing policy. It underscores the need for higher education-led initiatives in digital literacy and evidence communication. Funding from the National Institute on Aging highlights interdisciplinary ties between aging, cancer, and misinformation research.
As NCI ramps up preclinical work, universities must balance innovation with caution, ensuring trials address safety gaps.
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Future Outlook: Charting a Path Forward
Moving ahead, researchers urge health systems to monitor off-label trends via EHR analytics. Policymakers could enhance FDA surveillance, while platforms like podcasts implement health claim disclaimers. For cancer patients, personalized discussions with oncologists remain paramount.
Higher education's role in disseminating balanced views—through open-access publications like this JAMA paper—is crucial. For the full study, visit the JAMA Network Open article. As academia advances repurposing research, patient safety must guide progress.
Check UCLA's insights at their press release.