Ivermectin is an anti-parasite medication. It was discovered in the 1970s and initially used in veterinary medicine, although it is now used in humans, primarily for parasite (worm) infections.
Why is ivermectin gaining popularity now?
Early lab studies showed that ivermectin could kill viruses, but this happened at doses that are too high for humans. During the COVID-19 pandemic, ivermectin was promoted on social media as a potential treatment for COVID-19 without scientific support. This led many people to share stories about how ivermectin may have helped treat other conditions, such as cancers. Social media has continued to spread bad information about ivermectin.
What do we know about ivermectin?
There are a few studies that show ivermectin could help slow cancer growth, but those studies were done in labs or in animals - not in humans. In these studies, ivermectin led to smaller tumors than those not treated. These studies were mostly done in mice or rats. We don’t yet know if the drug works the same way in humans. Getting ivermectin from the blood to brain is complicated and research is still looking at ways to accomplish this safely.
What are the concerns about and risks of using ivermectin in humans?
The dose needed to affect tumors in lab studies is much higher than the dose used for parasitic infections. At those high doses, ivermectin can cause serious side effects like brain swelling, balance issues, and seizures. It can also interact with a lot of other medications and could cause problems with the heart and liver.
Some people use unapproved animal-grade ivermectin without medical supervision and this can be dangerous. Products for animals are usually much stronger than those used for humans so the dose can be much too high. Animal ivermectin can include ingredients that are not safe or not tested for humans. The quality standards for animal pharmaceuticals are different than human pharmaceuticals, so using animal medications is not safe for humans. Poison control centers have received reports of serious side effects after humans consumed animal ivermectin.
What are we still learning?
Large, multi-center studies of ivermectin use for cancers in humans are needed. We need to understand dosing and safety better. Some clinical trials are underway but there is no evidence that we can use ivermectin for brain tumors yet. For more information on approved treatments for pediatric brain tumors, talk to a pediatric oncologist and visit our CHOP Neuro-Oncology Program page for more information.
Ivermectin is an anti-parasite medication. It was discovered in the 1970s and initially used in veterinary medicine, although it is now used in humans, primarily for parasite (worm) infections.
Why is ivermectin gaining popularity now?
Early lab studies showed that ivermectin could kill viruses, but this happened at doses that are too high for humans. During the COVID-19 pandemic, ivermectin was promoted on social media as a potential treatment for COVID-19 without scientific support. This led many people to share stories about how ivermectin may have helped treat other conditions, such as cancers. Social media has continued to spread bad information about ivermectin.
What do we know about ivermectin?
There are a few studies that show ivermectin could help slow cancer growth, but those studies were done in labs or in animals - not in humans. In these studies, ivermectin led to smaller tumors than those not treated. These studies were mostly done in mice or rats. We don’t yet know if the drug works the same way in humans. Getting ivermectin from the blood to brain is complicated and research is still looking at ways to accomplish this safely.
What are the concerns about and risks of using ivermectin in humans?
The dose needed to affect tumors in lab studies is much higher than the dose used for parasitic infections. At those high doses, ivermectin can cause serious side effects like brain swelling, balance issues, and seizures. It can also interact with a lot of other medications and could cause problems with the heart and liver.
Some people use unapproved animal-grade ivermectin without medical supervision and this can be dangerous. Products for animals are usually much stronger than those used for humans so the dose can be much too high. Animal ivermectin can include ingredients that are not safe or not tested for humans. The quality standards for animal pharmaceuticals are different than human pharmaceuticals, so using animal medications is not safe for humans. Poison control centers have received reports of serious side effects after humans consumed animal ivermectin.
What are we still learning?
Large, multi-center studies of ivermectin use for cancers in humans are needed. We need to understand dosing and safety better. Some clinical trials are underway but there is no evidence that we can use ivermectin for brain tumors yet. For more information on approved treatments for pediatric brain tumors, talk to a pediatric oncologist and visit our CHOP Neuro-Oncology Program page for more information.
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