Actor Mel Gibson is facing sharp criticism from oncologists and public-health experts after claiming on a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience that antiparasitic drugs helped three of his friends “beat” stage-4 cancer — without offering medical evidence.
In the widely shared clip, Gibson tells Rogan:
“I have 3 friends. All 3 of them had stage 4 cancer… and all 3 of them… don’t have cancer right now at all…”
When Rogan asks, “What did they take…?” Gibson nods and agrees as Rogan names ivermectin and fenbendazole, two antiparasitic medicines typically used to treat parasitic infections in humans and animals, not cancer.
The exchange has since gone viral on social media, where supporters frame Gibson’s story as evidence of a “hidden cancer cure.” Cancer specialists say that narrative is not just misleading, but potentially dangerous.
Experts: Anecdotes Are Not Proof, and These Drugs Are Not Approved Cancer Cures
Ivermectin is an antiparasitic drug used in humans to treat conditions like river blindness and certain worm infections. Some lab and animal studies suggest it can affect cancer cells or support other cancer treatments, but there are still no large, high-quality clinical trials showing that ivermectin safely and effectively treats cancer in people.
Fenbendazole goes even further outside the bounds of standard medicine: it’s a deworming drug for animals (dogs, livestock, etc.), not approved for humans for any condition. The American Cancer Society notes that fenbendazole has not been tested in human cancer trials, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has never approved it for human use.
Despite this, the drug has been repeatedly hyped online as a “miracle cancer cure,” prompting fact-checks and debunkings from researchers who say the claims rest on petri-dish experiments, anecdotal stories and social-media rumors, not rigorous science
An analysis from the nonprofit Anticancer Fund, published earlier this year, explicitly warned about “misinformation about repurposed drugs,” and cited Gibson’s podcast comments as an example of celebrity claims fueling unrealistic expectations. The group stressed that while repurposed drugs are being studied, “patients should not abandon evidence-based therapies for unproven alternatives.
Medical Community Warns of Real-World Harm
Oncologists worry that Gibson’s story could push vulnerable patients to self-medicate with veterinary or high-dose human drugs, delay chemotherapy, or even stop life-saving treatment altogether.
The FDA has repeatedly warned that products claiming to “cure” cancer are a “cruel deception”, and that unapproved treatments can cause serious side effects, interact dangerously with other medicines, and — most critically — allow the disease to progress while patients chase false hope.
Recent reporting also shows how such hype can distort policy. In Florida, for example, state leaders recently announced tens of millions of dollars in cancer-research funding, including money earmarked to study ivermectin — a move explicitly linked to Gibson’s appearance on Rogan’s podcast and the political movement that has embraced the drug. Cancer specialists quoted in that coverage warned that precious research funds may be diverted from more promising, evidence-based avenues.
Repurposed Drugs Are Being Studied — But That’s Very Different From “This Stuff Works”
Researchers emphasize a key distinction often lost in viral clips:
- Repurposing drugs (studying existing medicines for new uses, including cancer) is a legitimate and active area of research.
- Claiming a cure based on a handful of personal stories is not science.
Several early-phase trials are exploring ivermectin in combination with standard therapies for specific cancers, under strict medical supervision and dosing. These trials are designed precisely because we do not yet know if the drug helps, harms, or does nothing in real patients with cancer.
Until such studies are completed and evaluated, experts say, it is irresponsible to present ivermectin or fenbendazole as proven cancer treatments — especially on one of the world’s largest podcasts with a history of amplifying fringe health claims.
Bottom Line for Patients
Public-health agencies, cancer organizations and oncologists are united on a few core points:
- Ivermectin and fenbendazole are not approved cancer treatments.
- Existing evidence in humans is limited, experimental and inconclusive.
- Self-treating with these drugs — especially veterinary products — can cause serious harm.
- Delaying or abandoning established cancer therapies for unproven drugs can be fatal.
Gibson’s fame and Rogan’s massive audience ensure the clip will continue to circulate. But cancer specialists say the most important message for patients is very different from “this stuff works”:
If you or someone you love has cancer, talk to a qualified oncologist before trying any “alternative” or repurposed drug, and rely on treatments backed by strong clinical evidence — not celebrity anecdotes or viral videos.
But AFP’s fact check says that video is fake and edited.
In the widely viewed clip, Gibson also touts drinking hydrochloride and methylene blue as supposed cures for cancer.
It was not clear if Gibson misspoke and some posts mentioned hydrochloride as either a reference to chlorine dioxide or hydroxychloroquine as cancer treatments — both used in misleading health claims previously debunked by AFP.
Methylene blue, or methylthioninium chloride, is a chemical compound primarily used to treat the blood disorder methemoglobinemia (archived here). It is also used in surgery as a skin stain and has antiseptic properties.
Outside of the medical field, methylene blue is used as a textile dye, as mentioned by Rogan, and in chemistry as a reaction indicator.
Norte of the Hospital de Clínicas said it was recently discovered that the compound could have benefits in treating glaucoma.
“But nothing more,” he said. “In reality, it has more toxicity than benefits.”
Clinical oncologist Victoria Costanzo (archived here) told AFP there is not scientific evidence to support the use of methylene blue, fenbendazole or ivermectin in the treatment of cancer, saying the claims were at the moment “experimental” or “fantasies.”
“I would not recommend anyone, and even less so patients diagnosed with cancer, to take any of these drugs without the strict supervision of their doctor,” she said in a WhatsApp message on January 14.
Read more of AFP’s reporting on health misinformation here.
http://factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com.36UV7WU
