150 Milligrams (French: La Fille de Brest, lit. The Girl of Brest) is a 2016 French drama film directed by Emmanuelle Bercot. It was screened in the Special Presentations section at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival. The film is based on the true story of French pulmonologist Irène Frachon, who became noted for her investigations of the serious side effects and deaths attributed to the diabetes drug Mediator, produced by French manufacturer Laboratoires Servier.
Contents
Plot
Sidse Babett Knudsen portrays real-life whistleblower Dr. Irene Frachon, a specialist in pulmonology. The story is set in the university hospital in Brest, Northern France. The film opens with doctors performing open-heart surgery. Dr. Irene observes that the heart valves of a patient, Corinne Zacharria, appear severely damaged. This condition has been detected in multiple patients, all of whom consumed Mediator, a drug manufactured by the French pharmaceutical firm Servier, intended for diabetes treatment and weight loss.
Dr. Irene believes Mediator is causing the pathology. To confirm this, she requires evidence from a proper epidemiological study. Several of her colleagues collaborate on this, but the contribution of research scientist Dr. Antoine Le Bihan is especially significant. Their research findings strongly support Irene's hypothesis.
However, when presenting their findings to AFSSAPS, the French regulatory agency for health products, their research is intensely scrutinized by Servier's representatives, and they're unsuccessful in getting Mediator removed from the market. Despite feeling disheartened, Irene continues her fight, getting support from various individuals. She self-publishes a book on their research, with Servier attempting to halt its publication. Irene gets support from her family, a reporter from Le Figaro, Anne Jouan, an AFSSAPS member, Catherine Haynes, and an informant from CNAM, the national health insurance fund.
The investigation reveals around 500 deaths connected to the drug, predominantly women.
Cast
Sidse Babett Knudsen as Irène Frachon
Benoît Magimel as Antoine Le Bihan
Charlotte Laemmel as Patoche
Lara Neumann as Anne Jouan
Philippe Uchan as Aubert
Patrick Ligardes as Bruno Frachon
Olivier Pasquier as Arsène Weber
Isabelle de Hertogh as Corinne Zacharria
Gustave Kervern as Kermarec
Pablo Pauly as Charles-Joseph Oudin
Myriam Azencot as Catherine Haynes
Eddie Chignara as Christophe Laugier
Raphaël Ferret as Fred
Christophe Meynet as David
Gilles Treton as Yannick Jobic
Élise Lucet as herself
Reception
The Hollywood Reporter's Leslie Felperin cited the "outsize but empathic central performance" by star Sidse Babett Knudsen in the role of Frachon and the director's ability to handle the film's "intellectually rigorous storytelling" and many characters.