Ivermectin
Antiparasitic drug in Health & fitness
Cheap, long-used drug that people recommend for parasitic infections and skin conditions; critics say it does not work for COVID-19 or cancer.
12 people recommended Ivermectin in Hacker News comments, 1 had mixed feelings and 11 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026.
These are opinions from Hacker News comments, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor.
Summary written by Claude from 31 comments. It was written before the November 2026 recount, and 24 of those comments still count.
24 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 12
- mixed feelings
- 1
- warn against or regret it
- 11
The record
Recommended in 5 of 12 months
In 8 different threads.
- November 2025: recommended
- December 2025: recommended
- January 2026: not recommended
- February 2026: recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: not recommended
- June 2026: recommended
- July 2026: recommended
- August 2026: not recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
Why it doesn’t carry the badge
- 12 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- 1 recommender for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, not met.
- Recommended in 5 of 12 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
- Recommended in 8 threadsNeeds 5 or more, met.
- The biggest thread supplies 25% of its recommendersNeeds half or less, met.
- A health productHealth and money products are never badged, not met.
The same rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. Mixed feelings count toward neither side. How the badge works
What people say about it
Reasons grouped from a sample of 24 of the 25 opinions about it, picked in proportion to how many people recommend it, have mixed feelings and criticize it. Each mark is one comment in the sample. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Evidence from some trials
“I-Tech was a good RCT and showed 75% lower mortality in severe patients, p=0.02.”
Comment from 19 Jun 2026 in “A New Bill Takes Aim at Government Pressure to Silence Lawful Online Speech” “Scientific evidence as a topical treatment for skin conditions!”
Comment from 23 Nov 2025 in “Meta buried 'causal' evidence of social media harm, US court filings allege” “Ivermectin has scientific evidence behind it.”
Comment from 23 Nov 2025 in “Meta buried 'causal' evidence of social media harm, US court filings allege” Effective against parasitic infections
“Ivermectin is great if you have a parasitic infection.”
Comment from 5 Feb 2026 in “Guinea worm on track to be 2nd eradicated human disease; only 10 cases in 2025” “Ivermectin horse paste cleared it up”
Comment from 27 Dec 2025 in “Parasites plagued Roman soldiers at Hadrian's Wall” “Ivermectin is a very good dewormer!”
Comment from 4 Feb 2026 in “Guinea worm on track to be 2nd eradicated human disease; only 10 cases in 2025” Safe at proper dose
“IVM is a very safe drug with the proper dosing.”
Comment from 19 Jun 2026 in “A New Bill Takes Aim at Government Pressure to Silence Lawful Online Speech” “Very low risk. Ld50 is incredibly high.”
Comment from 5 Feb 2026 in “Guinea worm on track to be 2nd eradicated human disease; only 10 cases in 2025” Personal use reported successful
“I have used it successfully myself”
Comment from 8 Jul 2026 in “Should DayQuil Be Legal?”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Does not work for COVID or cancer
“Ivermectin works by interfering with nerve and tissues of invertebrate parasites, and generally isn't useful for bacteria or viruses.”
Comment from 28 Jul 2026 in “How to Survive Boiling Water” “taking ivermectin and fenbendazole to treat the cancer did not work”
Comment from 13 Jan 2026 on Hacker News “If you don't already have worms it won't help you with Covid”
Comment from 20 Jul 2026 in “Should DayQuil Be Legal?” Promoted by quacks and sellers
“They’re going to milk this market for all it’s worth.”
Comment from 12 Dec 2025 in “Senator endorses discredited book that claims chemical treats autism, cancer” “snake oil salesman on the internet will tell you is a”
Comment from 26 Jan 2026 in “Google AI Overviews cite YouTube more than any medical site for health queries” Dangerous, one serious illness
“One of them became very ill, sadly.”
Comment from 12 Dec 2025 in “Senator endorses discredited book that claims chemical treats autism, cancer” “It does nothing and is dangerous.”
Comment from 22 Jan 2026 in “Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt When Using an AI Assistant” Horse dewormer unsuited for humans
“I don't see how a HORSE DEWORMER has any place in human medicine”
Comment from 9 Dec 2025 in “Why Leftover Pizza Might Be Healthier” “NO MEDICINE HAS TWO USES!!! HORSE PASTE!!!”
Comment from 12 Jul 2026 in “A no-brainer for protecting your brain”
What people said
24 of the 25 opinions about it, picked in proportion to the three counts, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“Ivermectin works by interfering with nerve and tissues of invertebrate parasites, and generally isn't useful for bacteria or viruses.”
“I've taken ivermectin prophylactically when traveling because I'm afraid of bed bugs.”
“If you don't already have worms it won't help you with Covid”
“Ivermectin had observable benefits in some localities during the pandemic.”
“NO MEDICINE HAS TWO USES!!! HORSE PASTE!!!”
“I have used it successfully myself”
“I-Tech was a good RCT and showed 75% lower mortality in severe patients, p=0.02.”
“they weren't, because it didn't work.”
“IVM is a very safe drug with the proper dosing.”
“Proof that IVM block was very effective!”
“ivermectin is pretty important in livestock management”
“a drug that's been used in human medicine for decades”
“Ivermectin is great if you have a parasitic infection.”
“Very low risk. Ld50 is incredibly high.”
“Ivermectin is a very good dewormer!”
“snake oil salesman on the internet will tell you is a”
“It does nothing and is dangerous.”
“taking ivermectin and fenbendazole to treat the cancer did not work”
“Ivermectin horse paste cleared it up”
“One of them became very ill, sadly.”
“They’re going to milk this market for all it’s worth.”
“I don't see how a HORSE DEWORMER has any place in human medicine”
“Scientific evidence as a topical treatment for skin conditions!”
“Ivermectin has scientific evidence behind it.”
Counts come from 1,791,911 Hacker News comments labeled by Claude, November 2025 to October 2026, with data through October 31, 2026. Counts updated 2 Nov 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.