Complex sentence: Society refuses to believe that the Howard Families simply'chose their ancestors wisely', instead insisting that they have developed a method to extend life, and the Families are persecuted and interned.
Split into simpler sentences: Society refuses to believe that the Howard Families simply'chose their ancestors wisely', instead insisting that they have developed a method to extend life. When the Howard Families fail to produce any such techniques, the Families are persecuted and interned.