Can a Dog Dewormer Cure Cancer in Humans?

A flurry of viral posts have emerged on social media claiming that a dog dewormer cures cancer in humans. The drug in question is fenbendazole (FZ), which is sold under the brand names Safe Guard, Panacur and others. While a few preclinical studies are investigating this class of benzimidazole anthelmintic drugs for their anticancer potential, these drugs have not been proven effective in humans and should not be used as cancer treatments.

The claims stem from an anecdotal account of a man named Joe Tippens who had advanced lung cancer. He allegedly found that his cancer went into remission after he started taking the dewormer in combination with CBD oil and curcumin. His story has been shared in Facebook and TikTok videos with millions of views.

According to the Joe Tippens Protocol, patients should take 222 mg of FZ per day in the form of granules or liquid suspension seven days a week. They should also take 25 mg of the CBD oil sublingually (under the tongue) each day, and 400-800 mg of bio-available curcumin seven days a week.

The claim that fenbendazole treats cancer in humans stems from the fact that it appears to prevent tumor growth by stopping the proper growth of microtubules. While normal body cells have microtubules, tumors are known to have excessive amounts of them. Moreover, studies show that the drug inhibits the formation of these tubulin proteins. This is why it is considered a promising anticancer treatment in animal models and in preclinical trials. dewormer for cancer