Slow Burn – One Year: The Miracle Cure

Podcast: Slow Burn (Slate Podcasts)
Episode Date: August 2, 2021
Host/Narrator: Josh Levine / Evan Chung (Producer, Narrator)
Main Participants: Diana Greene, Dr. John Truman, Mary Ziegler (historian)

EPISODE OVERVIEW

This episode explores the story of Chad Greene—a young leukemia patient at the center of a national debate in the late 1970s about “miracle cures,” parental rights, and the meaning of medical freedom. Through first-person interviews, period news clips, and insights from historians, the episode traces how a fringe cancer treatment (Laetrile) became a rallying cry for personal liberty, political activism, and, ultimately, a cautionary tale.

KEY THEMES & DISCUSSION POINTS

1. The Emotional Cancer Debate (Texas, 1977)

• Cancer patients and families testify before the Texas Senate, emotionally pleading to legalize Laetrile—an unproven cancer drug.

• The legitimacy of personal testimony vs. scientific evidence is fiercely debated.

  Notable Quote:
  "What would you rather have sitting here? A live anecdote or a dead statistic? I'm asking you to afford me a life sentence, not a death sentence."
  – Laetrile Advocate ([03:13])

2. Chad Greene's Story: Diagnosis, Hope, and Controversy

• Chad is diagnosed with leukemia at 20 months old; his parents, Diana and Jerry, are overwhelmed and desperate ([04:10]–[04:42]).

• Dr. John Truman, a leading pediatric oncologist, begins treatment—initial remission is achieved with chemotherapy.

• Diana becomes suspicious of chemotherapy toxicity and stops giving Chad his medication, turning to nutritional remedies instead.

  Notable Quote:
  "We all wanted what was best for him. We all loved him… We really believed that we had as much of a chance doing that and stopping the chemotherapy."
  – Diana Greene ([15:45])

  Notable Moment:
  Dr. Truman is shocked by the parents’ refusal to continue chemo ([15:29–15:45]).

3. Legal Intervention: Whose Child is it?

• Chad relapses. The hospital petitions the court, and police forcibly return Chad to the hospital for mandated chemotherapy ([16:49]).

• Media frames the dispute as state vs. parents’ rights.

• Public opinion is deeply divided; some see the state as overreaching.

  Notable Quote:
  "I thought it was going to be a big media circus in Boston… It went around lickety split."
  – Dr. John Truman ([20:18])

4. The Rise of Laetrile and the “Freedom of Choice” Movement

• Laetrile, made from apricot pits, is touted as a natural alternative—its supporters allege a broad medical conspiracy suppresses its use.

• The John Birch Society and other conservative groups frame the right to try Laetrile as a personal liberty issue, drawing parallels with Roe v. Wade.

  Notable Quote:
  "I'm signing the legislation but simultaneously wish to advise that I'm absolutely convinced there is no scientific evidence whatsoever which supports any contention that Laetrile either prevents or cures cancer."
  – Governor Edwin Edwards ([29:31])

• State-level victories: By the late 1970s, 27 states legalize Laetrile.

5. The Public's Desperation, the Power of Hope, and the Placebo Dilemma

• Many patients see Laetrile as a last hope and question what harm a supposed placebo could do to terminally ill patients.

• The medical community warns of false hope and potential fatalities in treatable cases.

  Notable Quote:
  “The greatest tragedy will be when the first little kid dies that has been treated with Laetrile that might have been saved through conventional treatment.”
  – State hearing doctor ([33:01])

6. Courtroom Drama and Escalation

• After courts prohibit Chad's alternative treatments, his family orchestrates a covert escape—flees to Mexico where Laetrile is legal ([40:13]–[41:36]).
• The Freedom of Choice Committee assists the Greenses' escape and publicizes their story, making Chad a symbol of the alternative medicine movement.

7. Denouement: Chad’s Decline and the End of the Laetrile Movement

• In Mexico, Chad is treated with Laetrile; his parents claim miraculous health, but soon his leukemia returns.

• Chad dies in October 1979, at age three ([48:42]).

• The episode closes with the aftermath: Chad’s parents return to the US, face (but avoid) jail time, and the Supreme Court finally shuts down legal avenues for Laetrile ([49:41]–[49:53]).

• Studies confirm Laetrile is ineffective; public support wanes, and the movement fades.

  Memorable Moment:
  Diana expresses regret and warns others:

  "Do not negate your doctor's advice or any medication that is prescribed for you unless that option has failed … Do not become a victim of your own fear or the deceptive tactics of false practitioners."
  – Diana Greene ([53:20])

  Memorable Reconciliation:
  Decades later, Diana sends Dr. Truman her book, acknowledging his attempts to help Chad. They have a belated, emotional conversation over Zoom ([54:28]–[55:00]).

8. Broader Implications: Faith vs. Medicine, Parental Rights vs. Child Welfare

• The story exemplifies cycles of “miracle cures” gaining popularity amid distrust of medical authority—a pattern that persists.

• Final reflections suggest that while medicine won the Laetrile battle, lasting public skepticism toward scientific consensus remains.

  Notable Reflection:
  "People’s willingness to listen to scientists was not necessarily coming back after Laetrile. And I think regulators and scientists forgot it at their own peril."
  – Mary Ziegler ([51:17])

TIMELINE OF IMPORTANT SEGMENTS

• [00:48–03:26]: Texas hearings; patient testimonials; match between hope, anecdote, and medical evidence
• [04:10–09:30]: Chad Green’s diagnosis, early treatment, and parents’ turn toward alternatives
• [15:25–18:28]: Discovery of parents’ noncompliance with chemo; legal intervention; media storm
• [19:04–22:43]: Chad’s family's struggle; lobbying and support from pro-Laetrile activists
• [23:31–29:31]: History of Laetrile, John Birch Society activism, legislative battles, and bipartisan momentum
• [29:55–33:01]: National debate: freedom to choose vs. medical standards
• [40:13–43:16]: Family escape, Laetrile therapy in Mexico, public support
• [46:06–48:44]: Chad’s decline and death
• [49:41–50:58]: Legislative and judicial end to the Laetrile movement; public shift
• [51:17–53:48]: Reflections, lessons learned, Diana’s warning to others
• [54:28–55:41]: Emotional reconciliation between Diana and Dr. Truman

MEMORABLE QUOTES AND MOMENTS

• "What would you rather have sitting here? A live anecdote or a dead statistic?"
  – Laetrile advocate ([03:13])
• "Parents’ rights are only up to a point. The child has its own rights. It is his right to life. And his right to life has greater meaning than the parent's right to decisions regarding their child."
  – Dr. John Truman ([19:31])
• "We did what they prescribed to do… We thought from what we heard that it seemed to have a positive outcome."
  – Diana Greene ([22:24])
• "You have canine ancestry. Whoa. I'm a son of a bitch."
  – Dr. Truman, reading hate mail ([36:16])

CONCLUSION

The episode masterfully interweaves personal tragedy, shifting political landscapes, public skepticism, and the enduring search for agency in the face of serious illness. It’s a definitive look at the way desperation can power dubious remedies—and at the complex intersection of freedom, evidence, and authority in medicine. The legacy of the Laetrile controversy continues to resonate in contemporary debates over alternative therapies, vaccine skepticism, and the limits of parental rights.

If you’re seeking a deeply human window into a transformational chapter of American medical and political history—with clear resonance today—this episode is essential listening.