The scene where George W. Bush is speaking about health care while John and Denise are watching television, was also shot with footage of Al Gore, because the election winner had not yet been declared at the time of shooting.
The message "For Sasha" appears just before the end credits. This refers to Sasha Cassavetes, daughter of director Nick Cassavetes.
A film very much close to director Nick Cassavetes' heart as his own daughter Sasha was born with a congenital heart defect. His later film My Sister's Keeper (2009) was also made to chart her medical experiences.
The movie was shot in a group of provincial government buildings in Toronto, Ontario. Adjacent to filming, is a hospital. On at least one occasion, filming blocked off access to the emergency room of the real hospital.
John Q and his son Mikey's blood type is B Positive. This is the third most common blood type in the world, with around 8.5% of people having it.