Inaccurate Reporting of the Effects of Laetrile: Mistreatment of Ellison, Byar and Newell (1978) in Professional Papers

There have been only two large-scale clinical studies on the impact of Laetrile (amygdalin) on cancer. In one of them, Ellison, Byar and Newell (1978) reviewed cases in which Laetrile was thought to be of help. Those who have cited this study have come to very different interpretations, however, some concluding that it showed that Laetrile was effective and some concluding that it was not. A review of Ellison et. al. shows that even a conservative interpretation of their results suggests that condemnation of Laetrile may have been premature.