Ivermectin to Treat Cancer in Humans (2024)
Ivermectin is a widely used antiparasitic drug that's listed on the World Health Organization's essential medicines list 1 and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In low- and middle-income countries, ivermectin is commonly used to treat parasitic diseases including onchocerciasis (river blindness), strongyloidiasis and other diseases caused by soil-transmitted helminthiasis, or parasitic worms. 2 The drug is also used to treat scabies and lice. It's estimated that the total number of ivermectin doses distributed is equal to one-third of the world's population and, as such, "ivermectin at the usual doses (0.2–0.4 mg/kg) is considered extremely safe for use in humans." 3 Ivermectin also has demonstrated antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties and made headlines for its potential role in treating COVID-19 4 — although much of the positive press has been censored and falsely labeled misinformation. 5 Now researchers are highlighting another p...