Ivermectin prescriptions among cancer patients more than doubled in early 2025

Prescriptions for ivermectin among cancer patients more than doubled in the first half of 2025, according to a study published in JAMA. The increase followed an episode of a popular podcast that discussed the drug. Ivermectin is approved by the FDA for treating parasitic diseases in humans. The agency has not authorized or approved the drug for cancer treatment.

Medical experts' assessment "It has not been proven in any kind of confirmatory clinical trial, which is the gold standard of evidence we need to know whether treatment works," an associate professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA told ABC News.

The same physician previously studied the drug's increased use during the coronavirus pandemic. The FDA has not authorized or approved ivermectin for the treatment of COVID or cancer. Experts expressed concern that some patients may delay or forgo treatments with established benefit.

Patient use and safety data A former NHL player diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in 2024 said he has taken ivermectin alongside standard therapies. He paused use during a clinical trial and plans to resume afterward. Calls to poison centers for ivermectin doubled between 2024 and 2025, according to data from America's Poison Centers.

In very high doses the drug can lead to seizure, coma, or, rarely, death, the UCLA physician said. The former player said he remains determined to pursue every available option and encourages others facing similar diagnoses to keep an open mind.