Society for Medical Anthropology

A section of the American Anthropological Association

Academic Resources: Research Tools

  • Databases: Films Database

Side Effects

  • Topics: pharmaceutical industry
  • Brief Summary/Review: "Side Effects," the bitingly funny -- and enlightening -- film by Kathleen Slattery-Moschkau, who spent ten years in the Big Pharm industry as a rep asks the question: Will the Truth about the Big Pharm industry make you sick? Or Make You Laugh? Answer?? How about both??
  • "Side Effects," starring Katherine Heigl (of the hit TV series "Grey's Anatomy") will have its North American premiere on September 9, premiering in Dallas, just down the road from Angleton, Texas -- home of the landmark first award of $253 million, finding Merck liable for the death of Robert C. Ernst. Other release cities include Boston, San Francisco, Berkeley, Minneapolis, LA, NYC and other areas over the next few months.
  • Film Threat recently gave 4 stars to "Side Effects," saying:
  • "Filmmaker Kathleen Slattery-Moschkau toiled for years as a pharmaceutical rep herself and, like Karly, became disgusted with her line of work, so she's made a film that attempts to rip the cover off of the industry and reveal its slimy inner-workings ... with a healthy dose of humor and romance, she does so with great effect."
  • Date of Release: 2005