# BBC Two documentary follows mothers seeking justice over valproate harm

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/tv-tonight-a-stirring-documentary-about-two-mothers-taking-on-big-pharma/
- Published: 2026-11-09T06:20:01+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-09T06:47:22+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/nov/09/tv-tonight-a-stirring-documentary-about-two-mothers-taking-on-big-pharma
- Topics: Culture, Elections, Entertainment, Health, Medicine, Politics, TV

## Key points

- Two mothers seek justice over harm linked to sodium valproate.
- A BBC Two documentary examines the drug’s impact on generations of children.
- The case remains unresolved.

## Summary

A BBC Two documentary follows Janet Williams and Emma Murphy as they campaign for justice over harm linked to sodium valproate, an epilepsy drug prescribed despite concerns arising during testing. The film examines the damage to generations of children and an unresolved case of institutional failure, highlighting the mothers’ persistence in the face of official inaction and scorn.

The programme is scheduled for 9pm. The article describes it as a stirring account of campaigning that avoids becoming dispiriting, in part because of Williams and Murphy’s determination and lack of self-pity. The rest of the evening’s television listings include a documentary on extreme weather, Jamie Oliver cooking, and dramas and factual programmes.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.