A 45-year-old man died from chronic liver failure after taking worming medication he had seen on social media which he believed had anti-cancer properties.  

An inquest opening for Lee Redpath heard he ordered the Fenbendazole online and had been taking it for about a month before being admitted to hospital. 

He died at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge, on April 29 of this year.  

Caroline Jones, an area coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, opened an inquest in Mr Redpath’s death on Thursday (October 17). 

She said: “... Lee was a 45-year-old gentleman who died of acute or chronic liver failure which was suspected to have been triggered by the ingestion of Fenbendazole for around three to five weeks before his admission to hospital.    

“He apparently sourced the Fenbendazole online and it is a de-wormer for animals and was not being taken under medical supervision. 

“It was reported he had been taking it due to seeing multiple social media videos claiming it had anti-cancer properties. 

“The matter was therefore referred to the coroner on the basis that the case of death was related to him having taken a prescribed substance which had actively contributed to his death.” 

The brief inquest hearing was held at Lawrence Court, in Huntingdon. It was not revealed where Mr Redpath was living when his death happened.  

Following a post-mortem examination, the coroner said a provisional cause of death was given as primarily liver and renal failure. 

This is said to have been contributed to “by Fenbendazole-induced liver injury on a background of alcohol-related cirrhosis”. 

Fenbendazole is an antiparasitic drug which is effective against various gastrointestinal parasites in animals.  

Ms Jones added: “Enquiries are ongoing on this case and the matter listed before me for a hearing on December 2 of this year.  

“I therefore adjourn this matter until this date and in doing so send my condolences to the family of Mr Redpath.”