While fenbendazole is available as a dog deworming medication, it has recently garnered attention on social media platforms such as Facebook and TikTok because of a man who claims to have used it to cure his small-cell lung cancer. But this claim is based on false information and hasn’t been scientifically verified. In a series of videos posted to TikTok, unlicensed veterinarian Andrew Jones promotes fenbendazole for humans, claiming it can treat cancer and other chronic illnesses. He cites his personal experience as well as studies of patients with other diseases who also say that fenbendazole has cured their symptoms.
Taking a drug that is already established is much quicker than developing a new one. While animal studies can often look promising, turning them into a human treatment takes years of clinical trials. However, that doesn’t mean the drug won’t eventually prove to be effective in treating a specific disease.
A recent study published in the journal Nature explains how drugs in the benzimidazole family can combat certain cancers. These types of medications interfere with a protein that is involved in cell division, preventing it from working correctly. This prevents the proper separation of chromosomes during mitosis, which is essential for healthy cell growth. The research team found that fenbendazole and other drugs in this class killed cancer cells, but had no effect on noncancerous cells.
In addition to killing cancer cells, fenbendazole inhibits glucose uptake, which starves the cancerous cells of energy and causes them to die off. This can also help to reduce the side effects of other cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy.
But despite the positive results from the animal studies, there’s no evidence that fenbendazole works in humans. A specialist cancer information nurse told Full Fact that “there is insufficient evidence that fenbendazole can cure cancer as it has not gone through clinical trials to find out if it is safe and effective.”
A video filmed by the man who claims to have used fenbendazole to cure his cancer went viral online in February 2023. It features a young man named Tippens, who says that his tumors stopped growing and he hasn’t had a recurrence of his disease in four years. The footage was originally posted to TikTok, but has since been removed from the platform and banned in South Korea.
But he’s not the first person to make this claim, and many other similar videos have appeared on YouTube and other sites. In the end, these videos have been largely debunked. For instance, a researcher at McMaster University says that the tumors in Tippens’ video were pre-existing and did not respond to fenbendazole. Another doctor explains that the videos aren’t credible because they include a lack of evidence and cite unlicensed material. This is why it’s important to work with a qualified integrative healthcare professional to develop a personalized treatment plan for you. They can review your medical records, lab reports, and current treatments to ensure you’re receiving the right dosage and are not interacting with any other drugs or supplements that may hinder your results. fenbendazole for humans
