Ivermectin Makes Post-Pandemic Comeback Among Cancer Patients Seeking Alternative Treatments

Ivermectin, the anti-parasitic drug that became a culture-war flashpoint during the COVID-19 pandemic, is making a quiet comeback — this time among cancer patients who are turning to the cheap, widely available medication as an alternative or supplementary treatment. NPR reports that a growing number of oncology patients are using ivermectin alongside or instead of conventional chemotherapy, driven by a combination of emerging research suggesting anti-cancer properties, distrust of the pharmaceutical establishment, and the drug's association with medical independence during the pandemic. The revival raises complex questions about evidence-based medicine, patient autonomy, and whether the political polarization of ivermectin during COVID has permanently complicated the scientific community's ability to evaluate it objectively.