BBC investigation finds unproven cancer treatments sold online
A BBC investigation has found that animal dewormer and scabies drugs are being sold as unproven cancer treatments, raising concerns about patient safety and misinformation.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A BBC investigation has uncovered that an animal dewormer and a drug used to treat scabies are being sold and promoted as unproven cancer treatments, raising serious concerns about patient safety and the spread of medical misinformation online.
The investigation found that fenbendazole, a tablet used to deworm animals and not approved for human use in the UK, and ivermectin, a prescription-only drug for conditions like scabies, were being offered as cancer therapies. An undercover journalist was able to purchase both medicines from a stairlift salesman in South Wales, who claimed the drugs worked on various cancers. The salesman, identified as Jason, said he researched medical papers and felt compelled to tell ill people about the treatments.
The products were also found for sale on Amazon. Fenbendazole was listed under "sports supplements," and ivermectin was sold as being "for person." After the BBC contacted Amazon, the company removed the listings. Amazon stated it has proactive measures to prevent prohibited products from being listed by third-party sellers and continuously monitors its store.
Charity Macmillan Cancer Support warned that more people are asking about these medicines despite a complete lack of clinical evidence that they work against cancer. Dr. Liz O'Riordan, a breast surgeon and cancer survivor who runs a YouTube channel countering such claims, noted that anecdotes and testimonials are now often treated as the strongest form of evidence, and that trustworthiness is increasingly based on social media follower counts.
The investigation also highlighted a tragic personal story. Jared said his mother read unproven claims online and chose to take ivermectin and fenbendazole instead of conventional treatment. He described her death as "horrible," saying she was shaking, could not see, and had a glazed look in her eyes. He hopes speaking out will help prevent others from dying the same way.
The UK medicines regulator said it can take action, including criminal investigation, if prescription-only drugs are sold without a prescription. The salesman who sold the drugs to the undercover journalist declined to comment when approached by the BBC.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| Animal dewormer and scabies drug sold as unproven cancer treatments, Amazon removed them after BBC contact. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The channel led with its own investigative report, giving it substantial airtime in the lunchtime bulletin. It focused on the undercover purchase, the personal tragedy of Jared's mother, and expert warnings from Macmillan Cancer Support and Dr. Liz O'Riordan. The evening bulletin included a brief summary of the story before moving to other news, indicating it was treated as a significant but not dominant item later in the day.
- “Last stuff there works best on lung cancer but it does work on other cancers as well.”
- “We're seeing an increasing number of people asking about these two products. We have literally no clinical evidence, evidence in people affected by cancer of high standard that shows that they are effective.”
- “My mother was scared for one. She was a victim of misinformation. It was a horrible death.”
Broadcast Timeline
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