# Ivermectin

Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/ivermectin/

12 people recommended Ivermectin in Hacker News comments, 1 had mixed feelings and 11 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 5 of 12 months, in 8 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule.

These are opinions from Hacker News comments, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor.

**Verdict:** Cheap, long-used drug that people recommend for parasitic infections and skin conditions; critics say it does not work for COVID-19 or cancer.

Summary written by Claude from 31 comments. It was written before the November 2026 recount, and 24 of those comments still count.

## Why people recommend it

- Evidence from some trials (3 comments in the sample): "I-Tech was a good RCT and showed 75% lower mortality in severe patients, p=0.02." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48604156)) "Scientific evidence as a topical treatment for skin conditions!" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46027979)) "Ivermectin has scientific evidence behind it." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46027903))
- Effective against parasitic infections (3 comments in the sample): "Ivermectin is great if you have a parasitic infection." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46902207)) "Ivermectin horse paste cleared it up" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46401266)) "Ivermectin is a very good dewormer!" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46887824))
- Safe at proper dose (2 comments in the sample): "IVM is a very safe drug with the proper dosing." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48603053)) "Very low risk. Ld50 is incredibly high." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46900988))
- Personal use reported successful (1 comment in the sample): "I have used it successfully myself" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48834780))

## What people warn about

- Does not work for COVID or cancer (3 comments in the sample): "Ivermectin works by interfering with nerve and tissues of invertebrate parasites, and generally isn't useful for bacteria or viruses." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49090252)) "taking ivermectin and fenbendazole to treat the cancer did not work" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46603204)) "If you don't already have worms it won't help you with Covid" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48983760))
- Promoted by quacks and sellers (2 comments in the sample): "They’re going to milk this market for all it’s worth." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46247204)) "snake oil salesman on the internet will tell you is a" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46771500))
- Dangerous, one serious illness (2 comments in the sample): "One of them became very ill, sadly." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46247955)) "It does nothing and is dangerous." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46716354))
- Horse dewormer unsuited for humans (2 comments in the sample): "I don't see how a HORSE DEWORMER has any place in human medicine" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46201077)) "NO MEDICINE HAS TWO USES!!! HORSE PASTE!!!" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48884426))

## The badge

A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged.

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Ivermectin", https://hackerapproved.com/p/ivermectin/ (12 recommend, 1 mixed, 11 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026).

Counts updated 3 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.