title: Pharmaceutical ethics and physician liability in Side Effects.
abstract: We review Side Effects, a 2013 film involving bioethics, pharmaceuticals, and financial conspiracies. After the main character Emily unsuccessfully attempts suicide, she begins receiving care from a psychiatrist, Dr. Banks. Following numerous events, she is placed on a fictional antidepressant, Ablixa, which leads her to suffer from sleepwalking. During an episode of sleepwalking she commits a serious crime. The film poses an interesting dilemma: How responsible would the physician be in this instance? We analyze this question by applying numerous ethical principles.
authors.affiliation: Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1600 N.W. 10th Avenue, Miami, FL, 33136, USA, gdhiman@med.miami.edu.
authors.forename: Gaurav J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Dhiman
authors.forename: Kyle T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Amber
mesh_terms: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D004994:Ethics, Pharmacy / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D016365:Liability, Legal; D008318:Malpractice; D009040:Motion Pictures
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents