Latest news with #fenbendazole
The Sun
6 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
05-08-2025
- 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.
Health Line
13-06-2025
- Health
- Health Line
Can Antiparasitic Drug Fenbendazole Treat Pancreatic Cancer?
Antiparasitic drugs such as fenbendazole have caught the attention of researchers studying pancreatic cancer. In early studies, they have shown promise in inhibiting the growth and spread of cancer cells. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer, with low survival rates. This disease is known for its late stage diagnosis and limited treatment options. As a result, researchers are constantly looking for new approaches to manage it. While several early studies have provided initial evidence suggesting that fenbendazole (Panacur, Safe-Guard) has potential in treating various types of cancer, including pancreatic cancer, further research is needed to determine its success and safety in human clinical trials. Let's go over existing research and evidence surrounding the use of fenbendazole for pancreatic cancer. What is fenbendazole? Fenbendazole is a broad-spectrum anthelmintic medication primarily used in veterinary medicine to treat animal gastrointestinal parasites. It belongs to the benzimidazole class of medications and is effective against various parasites, including roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and certain animal tapeworms. While fenbendazole was initially formulated for veterinary use, preliminary research suggests that it may prevent cancer cell growth and induce cancer cell death. Fenbendazole is a veterinary medication and has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for cancer treatment in humans. The use of fenbendazole for pancreatic cancer is still experimental, and more studies are needed to determine its success and safety in humans. Fenbendazole for pancreatic cancer Although there's limited research specifically focused on fenbendazole for pancreatic cancer, several studies have explored its anticancer properties in general. But the research is still in its early stages, and more research, including clinical trials, is needed to determine its success and safety in people with pancreatic cancer. Microtubule disruptor While the exact mechanisms behind fenbendazole's potential anticancer effects are still being studied, researchers suggest that fenbendazole may disrupt microtubules, which are structures involved in cell division and growth. Mebendazole Various studies are exploring another anthelmintic medication, this one formulated for humans, called mebendazole for its potential anticancer properties. While mebendazole belongs to the same class of medications as fenbendazole and may share some similarities in their potential anticancer properties, they aren't the same. A 2022 study highlighted the potential of mebendazole in combination with the targeted therapy drug bevacizumab for treating advanced colorectal cancer. Although this study focused on colorectal cancer, the findings suggest that mebendazole's anticancer activity extends to other types of cancer, including pancreatic cancer. If you're considering fenbendazole or mebendazole for pancreatic cancer treatment, consider speaking with a healthcare professional who can guide you on the most appropriate treatment based on your condition. Fenbendazole cancer clinical trials Currently, limited information is available about ongoing clinical trials specifically investigating the use of fenbendazole in cancer treatment. Most research on fenbendazole's potential anticancer effects has been preclinical or observational studies in animal models and cell cultures. Although these studies have shown promising results, the available evidence is still at its early stages, and more long-term research, including clinical trials, is needed to determine the safety and success of fenbendazole as a therapeutic option for cancer treatment. The goals of these clinical trials would be to determine the appropriate dosage and treatment regimen of fenbendazole for different types of cancer, assess its success compared with standard treatments, and test its safety in people with pancreatic cancer. What are the most successful treatments for pancreatic cancer? Pancreatic cancer is a challenging disease to treat, and treatment options can vary depending on the stage and characteristics of the cancer. But some of the most successful treatments for pancreatic cancer include: Surgery Surgical intervention is vital in treating pancreatic cancer, particularly for localized tumors. Surgery aims to remove the tumor and any affected surrounding tissue. A doctor may perform various surgical procedures based on the extent of the disease. Radiation therapy Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays to target and destroy cancer cells. It can be used before surgery, after surgery, or as palliative treatment to improve quality of life and relieve symptoms. Chemotherapy Chemotherapy uses medications to destroy cancer cells or hinder their growth. It can be administered before or after surgery or as the primary treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer. Common chemotherapy drugs for pancreatic cancer may include gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel. Immunotherapy Immunotherapy uses the body's immune system to fight cancer. It involves medications that activate the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. While still being explored in clinical trials, immunotherapy has shown promise as a treatment option for certain types of pancreatic cancer. Palliative care This focuses on improving the quality of life for people with advanced pancreatic cancer. It aims to alleviate various symptoms and support the management of emotional and psychological challenges. It can also be given alongside curative treatments.
