Animal dewormer fenbendazole and ivermectin, a drug used to treat scabies, are being sold and promoted as unproven cancer treatments, a BBC investigation has revealed. An undercover journalist was able to purchase the medications from a stairlift salesman in south Wales, who claimed they could shrink tumors.

The investigation followed a tip-off, leading a BBC reporter to contact the salesman, Jason Sarver, posing as someone with a relative suffering from cancer. Sarver repeated claims he had heard from various sources, including videos with millions of views, suggesting the drugs' efficacy against cancer. He stated he was "not a doctor, I just passed what I hear on."

Sarver offered to sell the medications, eventually supplying fenbendazole and ivermectin tablets to the undercover reporter for £100, which he described as a two to three-month supply for treating lung cancer and other cancers. He explained his motivation stemmed from seeing many ill people in his work as a stairlift salesman, feeling compelled to share information about these treatments.

Macmillan Cancer Support expressed concern over the findings, noting a rise in patients inquiring about these unproven medicines. Senior doctors are worried that vulnerable individuals might be put at risk by taking fenbendazole and ivermectin, potentially harming their health or delaying essential conventional cancer treatments.

Rebecca Holder, who contacted the BBC six months prior, described a similar encounter with Sarver when he discussed these drugs with her father, Bob, who had multiple cancer diagnoses. She recounted writing down the names of the medicines, fenbendazole and ivermectin, and expressing disbelief at the claims made.

Beyond the interaction with Sarver, the BBC investigation also found fenbendazole and ivermectin available for sale on Amazon, with multiple listings offering delivery to UK addresses. Following the BBC's contact, Amazon removed the products and stated they have proactive measures to prevent prohibited items from being listed by third-party sellers.

Ivermectin is a prescription-only medicine in the UK, intended for conditions like scabies, while fenbendazole is primarily an animal dewormer. Despite the lack of clinical evidence, social media platforms have hosted numerous videos with unproven claims about these drugs' effectiveness in treating cancer, some accumulating thousands or even millions of views.

The promotion of these drugs as cancer cures raises significant concerns about misinformation and the potential exploitation of vulnerable patients seeking alternative treatments. Health authorities continue to emphasize the importance of relying on evidence-based medicine and consulting healthcare professionals for cancer care.