Written based on 4 research studies on PubMed, searched on 11 Nov 2026.
The claim
Posts online say that ivermectin helps with childhood cancers.
Where research stands
We found 4 published papers on ivermectin and childhood cancers. They were published between 2003 and 2026. None of them is a study in people. None was a study in animals, and 1 was only in cells in the lab.
- 0In people
- 0In animals
- 1Only in the lab
What the studies found
We have not summed up these studies in words yet. The most important papers are listed under Sources.
Verdict
Ivermectin has been studied for childhood cancers only in cells in the lab.
Unproven means: it was only tested in animals or cells, or there is too little or mixed data from people. How we rate claims
What this means for you: Results in animals or in cells often do not hold in people. Do not stop or change your medicines because of it. Ask your doctor before you start taking it.
Sources
- Ivermectin Inhibits Stress Granule Clearance by Blocking the De Novo Synthesis of Hsp70 in Neuroblastoma Cells.2026 · Cells · In the lab
- The Threat of Medical Misinformation: A Case of Ivermectin Toxicity in a Pediatric Oncology Patient.2025 · Pediatr Blood Cancer · Other paper
- Ivermectin versus malathion for head lice.2010 · N Engl J Med · Other paper
- Demodex infestation in a child with leukaemia: treatment with ivermectin and permethrin.2003 · Int J Dermatol · Other paper
