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Ivermectin-Benzimidazole Prescribing Following Celebrity Endorsement | Public Health | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network

By Dr. Stacy D. D’Andre

Background & Objective

In early 2025, Joe Rogan and Mel Gibson did a podcast in which Mel Gibson claimed that his personal friends were cured of cancer using ivermectin/fenben.  This study evaluated the temporal association between this media event and actual clinical prescribing patterns of combination ivermectin-benzimidazole in the United States.

Methods

Using de-identified electronic health record (EHR) data from the TriNetX network (representing 68,373,949 patients across 67 US healthcare organizations), the authors conducted an observational cohort study. They analyzed same-day co-prescribing of ivermectin and any benzimidazole (albendazole, fenbendazole, mebendazole, thiabendazole) between January 1, 2018, and July 31, 2025. Age- and sex-adjusted Poisson regression models were used to calculate Rate Ratios (RR), comparing the post-endorsement period (Jan–Jul 2025) with the baseline period (Jan–Jul 2024).

Key Findings

  • Overall Prescribing: Total population co-prescribing rates nearly doubled after the podcast (RR = 1.97; 99.5% CI, 1.70–2.29).
  • Cancer Patient Cohort: Among patients with an active cancer diagnosis, co-prescribing increased 2.63-fold (99.5% CI, 2.08–3.24).
  • Demographic Hotspots: The relative increases in prescribing were disproportionately concentrated in specific demographics matching the core audience profile of the media platform:
    • Race: Strongly driven by White patients (Overall RR = 2.61; Cancer Cohort RR = 3.05) compared to minimal, non-significant changes in Asian and Black populations.
    • Geography: Heavily concentrated in the US South (Overall RR = 3.12; Cancer Cohort RR = 3.91).
    • Age & Sex: More pronounced in individuals aged 18–64 and males (Cancer Cohort RR = 2.79).

Discussion & Conclusions

This study shows a huge increase in RX after celebrity endorsement of an unproven cancer treatment.  The strengths of this study are the large size of the database and statistical methods utilized.  It highlights a demographic that is more likely to use these alternative treatments.  This does seem to fit with what we have seen in clinical practice, although most patients I have discussed this with are getting ivermectin online or through feed stores (no prescription) so I do think this study actually underestimates the actual usage.

Weaknesses: 

Likely underestimates the true increase in usage, as it did not account for RX on multiple days, or from patients obtaining these products at vet/feed stores, from overseas/online.  Also, cannot state causation, just an association (authors recognized this).  Finally, some patients may get the prescription, but not take the medications.

Implications/Discussion

Patients are falling prey to medical misinformation, especially when endorsed by celebrities.  This study tracks what we are seeing in the clinic.  This is not only potentially unsafe but creates a burden on health care providers to check for interactions, and/or explain why patients should not be using these unproven treatments.  Medical misinformation is now widespread on the internet and is challenging to deal with.