Latest news with #LeeRedpath
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Man, 45, died ‘taking de-worming drug for animals after seeing fake claims online it could cure cancer'
Even A-list celebrities have promoted the drug SAD LOSS Man, 45, died 'taking de-worming drug for animals after seeing fake claims online it could cure cancer' A MAN died after taking a de-worming drug for animals as he believed it would cure cancer, an inquest heard. Lee Redpath, 45, was rushed to hospital with signs of liver failure after dosing himself with an anti-parasitic drug called fenbendazole across a three-week period. 7 Lee Redpath, 45, died after taking a de-worming drugs for animals Credit: Lee Redpath/Triangle News 7 He read fake information on social media claiming the drug could prevent cancer Credit: Lee Redpath/Triangle News 7 Long-term partner Lauren Laul gave evidence at the inquest Credit: Lee Redpath/Triangle News He tragically died in Addenbrooke's Hospital, in Cambridge, on April 29. Lee had ordered the drug, believing it to be safe, from a supplier in Ukraine. The 45-year-old saw fake social media posts which claimed fenbendazole could be a cancer cure - despite it being banned for human use. It's designed to be used against a number of gastrointestinal parasites in animals including giardia, roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms and pinworms. However, even A-list celebrities have promoted the drug for humans, including actor Mel Gibson. He told Joe Rogan earlier this year how three of his friends were cured of stage four cancer after taking it with the anti-parasitic Ivermectin. The inquest, held in Lawrence Court, Huntingdon, Cambs, heard how Lee believed the de-wormer could prevent cancer. His long-term partner Lauren Laul gave evidence at the inquest. She told how her boyfriend believed it was safe to use and popular in the States. 'He saw it online, thought it was safe, people in America are using it," said Lauren. 'He didn't have medical assistance taking it so I think some sort of warning should be made. 'I am seeing it advertised online and people can get it themselves like Lee did and unknowingly be killing themselves because they didn't have all the information.' Lauren also suggested Lee may have been taking them for as long as two years before his death. Dr Gwilym Webb, a consultant hepatologist at Addenbrooke's warned fenbendazole had 'no proven benefit for preventing or treating cancer in humans.' 7 Lauren suspected Lee could have been taking the drug for up to two years before his death Credit: Lee Redpath/Triangle News 7 The 45-year-old was rushed to hospital on April 12 last year but sadly died on April 29 Credit: Lee Redpath/Triangle News 7 He ordered fenbendazole believing it to be safe Credit: Lauren Laul/Triangle News He told the inquest Lee was not eligible for a liver transplant due to alcohol misuse in the three months before. But a post-mortem concluded Lee's liver failure was due to the fenbendazole. Assistant coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Caroline Jones, concluded Lee died of liver and renal failure due to fenbendazole induced liver injury on a background of alcohol related cirrhosis. 'I was satisfied as to the toxic effects of fenbendazole and that it was this that was the primary cause of the injury," she told the inquest. 'It is a potent anti-worming treatment which was taken at far higher relative doses than had ever been envisaged and over a far longer time scale. 'During his admission he advised doctors that he had been taking the drug fenbendazole, which he purchased online from a supplier in the Ukraine after seeing videos about its supposed anti-cancer properties. 'It was thought likely fenbendazole was the primary cause of the acute injury. Lee's conditions deteriorated despite treatment but he was not a candidate for transplant. 'He improved briefly but on April 27 his condition worsened, it was recognised Lee's organs were failing and he passed away at 6.06 pm on April 29. 'While Lee may have taken fenbendazole with good intentions to improve his health, it constituted a deliberate act with the unintended consequence of his death.' Lauren urged the coroner to write a prevention of future deaths report, but Miss Jones denied her request. The coroner said there was not "sufficient evidence", although she was "concerned" about people buying the drug online. Lee's death was recorded as misadventure.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Man, 45, died ‘taking de-worming drug for animals after seeing fake claims online it could cure cancer'
A MAN died after taking a de-worming drug for animals as he believed it would cure cancer, an inquest heard. Lee Redpath, 45, was rushed to hospital with signs of liver failure after dosing himself with an anti-parasitic drug called fenbendazole across a three-week period. 7 7 7 He tragically died in Addenbrooke's Hospital, in Cambridge, on April 29. Lee had ordered the drug, believing it to be safe, from a supplier in Ukraine. The 45-year-old saw fake social media posts which claimed fenbendazole could be a cancer cure - despite it being banned for human use. It's designed to be used against a number of gastrointestinal parasites in animals including giardia, roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms and pinworms. However, even A-list celebrities have promoted the drug for humans, including actor Mel Gibson. He told Joe Rogan earlier this year how three of his friends were cured of stage four cancer after taking it with the anti-parasitic Ivermectin. The inquest, held in Lawrence Court, Huntingdon, Cambs, heard how Lee believed the de-wormer could prevent cancer. His long-term partner Lauren Laul gave evidence at the inquest. She told how her boyfriend believed it was safe to use and popular in the States. 'He saw it online, thought it was safe, people in America are using it," said Lauren. 'He didn't have medical assistance taking it so I think some sort of warning should be made. 'I am seeing it advertised online and people can get it themselves like Lee did and unknowingly be killing themselves because they didn't have all the information.' Lauren also suggested Lee may have been taking them for as long as two years before his death. Dr Gwilym Webb, a consultant hepatologist at Addenbrooke's warned fenbendazole had 'no proven benefit for preventing or treating cancer in humans.' 7 7 7 He told the inquest Lee was not eligible for a liver transplant due to alcohol misuse in the three months before. But a post-mortem concluded Lee's liver failure was due to the fenbendazole. Assistant coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Caroline Jones, concluded Lee died of liver and renal failure due to fenbendazole induced liver injury on a background of alcohol related cirrhosis. 'I was satisfied as to the toxic effects of fenbendazole and that it was this that was the primary cause of the injury," she told the inquest. 'It is a potent anti-worming treatment which was taken at far higher relative doses than had ever been envisaged and over a far longer time scale. 'During his admission he advised doctors that he had been taking the drug fenbendazole, which he purchased online from a supplier in the Ukraine after seeing videos about its supposed anti-cancer properties. 'It was thought likely fenbendazole was the primary cause of the acute injury. Lee's conditions deteriorated despite treatment but he was not a candidate for transplant. 'He improved briefly but on April 27 his condition worsened, it was recognised Lee's organs were failing and he passed away at 6.06 pm on April 29. 'While Lee may have taken fenbendazole with good intentions to improve his health, it constituted a deliberate act with the unintended consequence of his death.' Lauren urged the coroner to write a prevention of future deaths report, but Miss Jones denied her request. The coroner said there was not "sufficient evidence", although she was "concerned" about people buying the drug online. Lee's death was recorded as misadventure. 7
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
My partner died after taking 'horse-de-wormer' tablets endorsed on Joe Rogan as cancer cure
A heartbroken widow has warned people against taking a potent 'horse de-wormer', after her husband died believing it was helping him prevent cancer. Lee Redpath, from Cambridgeshire, bought the drug fenbendazole—which is not licensed for human consumption—online from a supplier in Ukraine early last year. The 45-year-old had become worried about developing the disease after a relative was diagnosed and had reportedly seen social media posts claiming the drug could help cure cancer. Typically used to treat gastrointestinal parasites in animals including roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms, it was even touted by Mel Gibson earlier this year while appearing on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast. The Oscar-winning actor claimed a cocktail of drugs including fenbendazole had cured several friends of stage 4 cancer—the deadliest form of the disease. But very limited research has suggested fenbendazole has anti-cancer properties in some cases. Other larger studies have reported severe intestinal injury and liver failure by adults taking the drug. Mr Redpath self-administered fenbendazole for at least three weeks before he was admitted to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge on April 12, 2024 with signs of liver failure. However, his condition deteriorated rapidly despite treatment and he passed away just two weeks later in hospital on April 29. At an inquest into his death, the coroner determined that Mr Redpath, who had a history of drug and excess alcohol use, would still be alive had he not have taken fenbendazole. Now, his partner Lauren Laul has urged people against taking it warning they may be 'unknowingly killing themselves'. Speaking at the inquest in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, she said: 'He saw it [the drug] online, thought it was safe, people in America are using it. 'He didn't have medical assistance taking it so I think some sort of warning should be made. 'I am seeing it advertised online and people can get it themselves like Lee did and unknowingly be killing themselves because they didn't have all the information.' In his evidence, Dr Gwilym Webb, a consultant hepatologist at Addenbrooke's also said fenbendazole was not licensed for human consumption in the UK and had 'no proven benefit for preventing or treating cancer in humans.' Dr Webb told the court that despite Mr Redpath's liver failure, he was not considered eligible for a transplant because he had been misusing alcohol in the three months prior to admission. The court heard that Mr Redpath had a history of drug and alcohol use, but it wasn't this that caused his death. A post-mortem found it was Mr Redpath's use of fenbendazole which inflicted an acute injury to his liver and ultimately led to his admission. Assistant coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Caroline Jones, concluded: 'I was satisfied as to the toxic effects of fenbendazole and that it was this that was the primary cause of the injury. 'It is a potent anti-worming treatment which was taken at far higher relative doses than had ever been envisaged and over a far longer time scale. 'While Lee may have taken fenbendazole with good intentions to improve his health, it constituted a deliberate act with the unintended consequence of his death.' Miss Jones added that she was 'concerned' that people could buy the drug over the internet and would contact the local public health team to learn more about the scale of the problem to learn whether there was a need for a formal report. It comes as Mel Gibson controversially told Joe Rogan in January that three of his friends with stage four cancer had all taken ivermectin and fenbendazole, both drugs usually given to treat infections caused by roundworms and other parasites. The Lethal Weapon star then sensationally claimed all three friends 'don't have cancer right now.' 'This stuff works, man,' he added. His comments alarmed doctors globally, with many since reporting they have seen patients with early, treatable cancer choosing ivermectin over traditional care such as chemotherapy—only to return months later when tumours have spread to their bones and brain. In 2021, a series of three case studies with advanced cancer found that all three patients had their tumors shrink after taking fendendazole. However, the authors stressed more research is needed. A handful of scientific papers have been published in recent years suggesting fenbendazole has anti-cancer properties—including a 2020 review from scientists in Tennessee, which found the drug slowed lung cancer growth in some mice with the disease. Another study from this year that reviewed six human cases where tumors shrank after taking the drug concluded fenbendazole 'stands out' as a possible new cancer therapy. However, multiple other larger studies have shown significant risks. Doctors in South Korea—which saw a surge in people taking the drug to combat cancer in 2019—said it left some patients with intestinal necrosis, a severe medical condition where part of the intestine dies.
BBC News
01-08-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Cambridgeshire man died after fake deworming drug cancer claims
A man died after taking a deworming drug for animals after he saw fake claims online about it having anti-cancer properties, an inquest Redpath, 45, died nearly two weeks after being admitted to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge with liver problems in April last had bought the drug fenbendazole - which is not licensed for human consumption - online from a supplier in partner told the inquest she believed a "warning should be made" about the danger of the drug. The inquest at Lawrence Court in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, was told Mr Redpath had a history of drug and excess alcohol use and was admitted to hospital complaining of jaundice and coroner, Caroline Jones, said Mr Redpath told the doctors that he had seen "videos on social media sites about [fenbendazole's] supposed anti-cancer properties". "Fenbendazole is not licensed for human consumption and is more commonly used in animals for the treatment of worms and parasitic infections," she said. Online falsehoods Dr Gwilym Webb, a consultant hepatologist at Addenbrooke's, told the court he believed Mr Redpath "had been taking [fenbendazole] for around three-and-a-half weeks prior to coming to hospital".He said it was his understanding there was "no proven benefit for taking fenbendazole for treating cancer in humans".Ms Jones said tests on Mr Redpath "showed that he was suffering from an acute liver injury on a background of cirrhosis due to his previous alcohol excess."She said it was "thought likely that the fenbendazole used over a prolonged period in high doses was the primary cause of the acute injury".The court heard his condition deteriorated but he was not suitable for a liver Webb said to be considered for a transplant excess alcohol use must have ceased for at least three months - in this case it was a few weeks - and "uncontrolled addiction to other substances is considered a barrier".Mr Redpath died on 29 April and his cause of death was determined as liver and renal failure due to fenbendazole-induced liver injury on a background of alcohol-related Jones recorded his death was as a result of misadventure, adding she was concerned that false claims of fenbendazole having anti-cancer properties could "be so widely available online" and would write to the local public health for more data about the issue. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
