A heartbroken widow has warned people against taking a potent ‘horse de-wormer’, after her husband died believing it was helping him prevent cancer.
Lee Redpath, from Cambridgeshire, bought the drug fenbendazole—which is not licensed for human consumption—online from a supplier in Ukraine early last year.
The 45-year-old had become worried about developing the disease after a relative was diagnosed and had reportedly seen social media posts claiming the drug could help cure cancer.
Typically used to treat gastrointestinal parasites in animals including roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms, it was even touted by Mel Gibson earlier this year while appearing on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast.
The Oscar-winning actor claimed a cocktail of drugs including fenbendazole had cured several friends of stage 4 cancer—the deadliest form of the disease.
But very limited research has suggested fenbendazole has anti-cancer properties in some cases. Other larger studies have reported severe intestinal injury and liver failure by adults taking the drug.
Mr Redpath self-administered fenbendazole for at least three weeks before he was admitted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge on April 12, 2024 with signs of liver failure.
However, his condition deteriorated rapidly despite treatment and he passed away just two weeks later in hospital on April 29.
Lee Redpath, from Cambridgeshire, bought the drug fenbendazole—which is not licensed for human consumption—online from a supplier in Ukraine early last year. Pictured, with partner Lauren
The 45-year-old had become worried about developing the disease after a relative was diagnosed and had reportedly seen social media posts claiming the drug could help cure cancer
At an inquest into his death, the coroner determined that Mr Redpath, who had a history of drug and excess alcohol use, would still be alive had he not have taken fenbendazole.
Now, his partner Lauren Laul has urged people against taking it warning they may be ‘unknowingly killing themselves’.
Speaking at the inquest in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, she said: ‘He saw it [the drug] online, thought it was safe, people in America are using it.
‘He didn’t have medical assistance taking it so I think some sort of warning should be made.
‘I am seeing it advertised online and people can get it themselves like Lee did and unknowingly be killing themselves because they didn’t have all the information.’
In his evidence, Dr Gwilym Webb, a consultant hepatologist at Addenbrooke’s also said fenbendazole was not licensed for human consumption in the UK and had ‘no proven benefit for preventing or treating cancer in humans.’
Dr Webb told the court that despite Mr Redpath’s liver failure, he was not considered eligible for a transplant because he had been misusing alcohol in the three months prior to admission.
The court heard that Mr Redpath had a history of drug and alcohol use, but it wasn’t this that caused his death.
Very limited research has suggested fenbendazole has anti-cancer properties in some cases. Other larger studies have reported severe intestinal injury and liver failure by adults taking the drug
Mr Redpath self-administered fenbendazole for at least three weeks before he was admitted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge on April 12, 2024 with signs of liver failure
A post-mortem found it was Mr Redpath’s use of fenbendazole which inflicted an acute injury to his liver and ultimately led to his admission.
Assistant coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Caroline Jones, concluded: ‘I was satisfied as to the toxic effects of fenbendazole and that it was this that was the primary cause of the injury.
‘It is a potent anti-worming treatment which was taken at far higher relative doses than had ever been envisaged and over a far longer time scale.
‘While Lee may have taken fenbendazole with good intentions to improve his health, it constituted a deliberate act with the unintended consequence of his death.’
Miss Jones added that she was ‘concerned’ that people could buy the drug over the internet and would contact the local public health team to learn more about the scale of the problem to learn whether there was a need for a formal report.
It comes as Mel Gibson controversially told Joe Rogan in January that three of his friends with stage four cancer had all taken ivermectin and fenbendazole, both drugs usually given to treat infections caused by roundworms and other parasites.
The Lethal Weapon star then sensationally claimed all three friends ‘don’t have cancer right now.’
‘This stuff works, man,’ he added.
However, his condition deteriorated rapidly despite treatment and he passed away just two weeks later in hospital on April 29
Actor Mel Gibson, 69, left Joe Rogan shocked when he claimed three of his friends with stage four cancer allegedly cured their disease with anti-parasitic drugs ivermectin and fenbendazole
Podcaster Rogan controversially agreed with Gibson, claiming ‘This stuff does work, which is strange because it’s not profit’
His comments alarmed doctors globally, with many since reporting they have seen patients with early, treatable cancer choosing ivermectin over traditional care such as chemotherapy—only to return months later when tumours have spread to their bones and brain.
In 2021, a series of three case studies with advanced cancer found that all three patients had their tumors shrink after taking fendendazole.
However, the authors stressed more research is needed.
A handful of scientific papers have been published in recent years suggesting fenbendazole has anti-cancer properties—including a 2020 review from scientists in Tennessee, which found the drug slowed lung cancer growth in some mice with the disease.
Another study from this year that reviewed six human cases where tumors shrank after taking the drug concluded fenbendazole ‘stands out’ as a possible new cancer therapy.
However, multiple other larger studies have shown significant risks.
Doctors in South Korea—which saw a surge in people taking the drug to combat cancer in 2019—said it left some patients with intestinal necrosis, a severe medical condition where part of the intestine dies.
