User Reviews

A woman who hasn't slept in 10 days, takes an entire bottle of sleeping pills and STILL can't sleep, so her girlfriend brings her to the E. R. As House and the team try to diagnose her mounting symptoms, Cameron becomes aware of the fact that the patient intends to break up with the girlfriend. This becomes a debate on ethics when the girlfriend volunteers (through a little manipulation by House) to give up half her liver in order to buy the team more time to diagnose the problem.

Cameron does everything in her power, short of breaching Doctor/patient privilege, to make sure the girlfriend is making an informed decision, but the status of their relationship is not medically relevant. This focus on ethics hits Cameron hard as she is currently frustrated by Foreman submitting a paper to a peer journal, on a topic he knew she was also writing a paper on for publication.

In the end, Cameron learns that the girlfriend knew about her lover's intent to leave all along. But she tells Cameron that she can use the fact she saved her lover's life, to manipulate her into staying, leaving Cameron dumbfounded. After that, Cameron attempts to bridge the divide between herself and Foreman to 'save their friendship' and receives a rude awakening when he informs her that they're not friends and he feels completely justified in his actions.

This episode was riveting! And the character profile (Cameron) of it was amazing, as she is left to truly re-evaluate how she has been navigating her career. Whether this will be a strength, or liability for her going forward remains to be seen, but after this - I'm much more invested in the decisions she makes.

As the previous reviewer says, nobody comes away looking good which makes this episode challenging. Who's right in the ethics contest? House is as obnoxious as ever but gets the job done. By the way, in the UK, the patient only has sedation for a colonoscopy, not a general anaesthetic.

Many episodes of the TV show House involve medical ethical dilemmas, in which House disregards the ethical course of action to save his patients life. In this episode a patient has an unknown condition causing her to be unable to sleep. As they attempt to diagnose her, she continues to worsen to the point of needing a liver transplant. Because she is ill with an unknown cause she is denied a transplant. Her partner offers to donate part of her liver. To further complicate the ethics of this case House and his team discover that the patient has been planning on breaking up with her partner. House thinks that if they inform the partner of this information then she will no longer want to donate her liver and Cameron thinks that not telling the partner is deceptive as she might make a different choice given the information.

I found this episode very interesting when considering the medical ethical principals at play including autonomy, beneficence, and non-maleficence. The principle of autonomy emphasizes an individual's right to make informed decisions about their own body and healthcare. In the context of organ donation, this means that donor should be provided with complete and accurate information about the risks, benefits, and alternatives associated with organ donation. This includes information about the surgical procedure, potential complications, and the expected outcomes for both the donor and the recipient. By not disclosing the breakup information with the donor you are limiting their ability to make a fully informed decision about their healthcare. The principle of beneficence, which emphasizes the duty to do good, and non-maleficence, do no harm, also apply to organ donation ethics. Physicians have a responsibility to act in the best interests of both the donor and the recipient. Disclosing all relevant information to potential donors is essential to ensure that they have a complete understanding of the risks and benefits of organ donation and can make an informed decision that aligns with their values and preferences. Withholding the information could save one patient's life but if everything goes well with the surgery and recoveries the donor and recipient have new tie to each other that may not be mutually wanted leading to further relationship issues. Following the medical ethical principles for one patient results in violating them for the other patient.

Cameron desperately needs to be right in this episode she crosses lines herself. Her aggressive behavior towards the patient and talking about personal feelings in front of her are inappropriate but she's oblivious to that. The patient needs a liver fast but plans on breaking up with her girlfriend who offers to be the donor. Cameron tried everything short of actually telling so she can back out with that knowledge if she chooses. Cuddy walks the donor through the preparation telling her she would normally have weeks and months to process being a donor and emotionally come to terms with it . The young woman just wants to go through with it and Cuddy gives her consent. House makes sure it happens . Cameron is left to wait it out. She has also been angry with Foreman claiming he stole her article. They both publish articles on the same case . House signed off on Foreman's first ( but read neither) . Cuddy and Wilson read both. Wilson talks to House about the tension it's causing in his department. Cameron looks to Cuddy for support but Cuddy tells her to get over it but some day she can have her revenge. Short term Cuddy has a point but Cameron is repulsed by Cuddy's idea of revenge. She wants to believe that people are indeed better than everyone is telling her. In the end she learns the girlfriend always knew her partner was planning on leaving her but donating her liver and the partner will be guilted into staying. All a long Cameron has been trying to protect the even more manipulative one it shakes her and she tries to reason with her . Some hard lessons all around for Cameron even with Foreman at the end .

Look for a particulars funny clinic segment. It just adds to this outstanding episode.