Ivermectin is back in the spotlight—this time in cancer care
Industry Buzz
We are moving funds away from so much promising research in order to do a preclinical study based on nonscientific ideas. It’s absurd.
—National Cancer Institute scientist
For many physicians, ivermectin still carries echoes of the COVID-era misinformation wars. But the drug is making a return to clinical conversations—this time not as an antiviral, but as a supposed cancer therapy.[]
In recent months, renewed political attention, social media buzz, and scattered research efforts have pushed ivermectin back into the spotlight. The result: More patients with cancer are asking their doctors whether the antiparasitic drug could help treat their disease.
Here's what's happening
Ivermectin is an established medication for parasitic infections, lice, and skin conditions like rosacea, and has been safely used for decades in these contexts.[]
But interest in the drug expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, when it was promoted as an unproven treatment. Although that claim was widely debunked, the drug retained a reputation among some groups as a kind of medical “catch-all.”
Now, claims about ivermectin curing cancer are circulating online.[] That attention has spilled into policymaking and research discussions. Some officials have pushed for studies into ivermectin’s anticancer potential, and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has begun at least a preclinical evaluation of whether the drug can kill cancer cells in laboratory models.[]
The move has generated controversy within the research community, with some scientists arguing that limited resources should focus on therapies with a stronger biological rationale.
“I am shocked and appalled,” one NCI scientist told KFF. “We are moving funds away from so much promising research in order to do a preclinical study based on nonscientific ideas. It’s absurd.”[]
A look at the evidence
The scientific picture right now is straightforward—and limited. Laboratory research has shown that ivermectin can affect cancer cells in several ways, including altering signaling pathways involved in tumor growth and inducing apoptosis in some models.[]
However, those findings are preclinical, meaning they come primarily from cell culture or animal studies. Crucially:
There are no large randomized clinical trials demonstrating that ivermectin improves outcomes in cancer patients.[]
Oncologists caution that the current evidence base is insufficient to recommend the drug as treatment.
“Ivermectin, like a lot of things, can kill cancer in a Petri dish. It’s really easy to kill cancer in cell culture,” said Bradley Leibovich, MD, a urologic oncologist and Chair of the Kidney Cancer Association’s Board of Directors, in an Instagram Reel. “In the Petri dish, if you add enough water, cancer will die. If you add enough salt, cancer will die. Killing a cancer in a human being is much more difficult. There’s no evidence that this antiparasitic drug is actually useful for curing cancer.”
Why oncologists are hearing about it more
Interest in ivermectin among cancer patients appears to be rising. Oncologists report that patients are increasingly asking whether they can take ivermectin alongside chemotherapy or targeted therapies—or even instead of them.
The dynamic mirrors what clinicians saw during the pandemic: a mix of social media narratives, political advocacy, and distrust of pharmaceutical companies fueling interest in alternative regimens.
Another complicating factor is accessibility. Because ivermectin is inexpensive and long off-patent, it’s widely available globally, and in some states, policymakers have even pushed to expand access to the drug outside traditional prescribing channels.[]
What this could mean in the clinic
Several practical challenges are already emerging:
1. Patients layering it onto standard therapy: Some patients want to take ivermectin alongside chemotherapy or immunotherapy; some might even purposefully avoid talking about it with their doctor.
2. Patients delaying evidence-based treatment: In more concerning cases, patients may delay or decline proven therapies while experimenting with unproven regimens.
3. Trust and communication challenges: Patients often arrive with information from podcasts, influencers, or advocacy groups that frame physicians as “gatekeepers.” Pushing back too aggressively can damage trust, but ignoring the conversation can leave misinformation unchallenged.
How to approach the conversation
Clinicians who encounter ivermectin questions can employ these practical strategies:
1. Lead with curiosity, not dismissal: Ask where the patient heard about ivermectin and what they hope it will do.
2. Clarify the difference between lab signals and clinical evidence: Many patients are surprised to learn how often promising cancer drugs fail after early studies.
3. Keep the focus on outcomes: There is currently no evidence that ivermectin improves survival or tumor response in humans.
4. Document supplement and off-label drug use: Patients sometimes take these therapies without telling their oncologist. But if you broach the subject delicately, you're more likely to have an effective conversation in the clinic.