The popular anthelminthic drugs fenbendazole (FZ) and mebendazole (MBZ), both used as dog dewormers, have been promoted by some websites and bloggers as cancer treatments for humans. These benzimidazole carbamate drugs have been shown to kill cancer cells in preclinical models, but their efficacy and safety in humans has not been established.
Recently, posts claiming that a dog dewormer cures cancer have gained traction on social media, especially TikTok and Facebook. The posts were based on the anecdotal account of Joe Tippens, who claims that his small-cell lung cancer went into remission after he started taking a prescription dog dewormer, fenbendazole. Tippens credits fenbendazole with his success, along with daily vitamin E supplements and curcumin.
According to Tippens, the drug works by killing cancerous liver cells, preventing tumor growth and stopping cancer-causing genes from working in the body. While he acknowledges that this is only an anecdotal story, many people have taken him at his word, including some who have participated in clinical trials of cancer drugs and experienced no improvement in their health.
However, a number of researchers have found no evidence that fenbendazole or similar drugs can cure cancer in humans. Specifically, the drug suppresses cancer cell growth by blocking the proper function of microtubules, which provide structure to all cells and are the target of approved cancer treatments. These drugs are also known to cause side effects that would make them unsuitable for cancer treatment, such as nausea and hair loss. dewormer for cancer