House M.D.2004

Dr. Eric Foreman:
Lab reports show that your daughter had heroin in her system. Were you aware of her drug use?

Martin, Alex's father:
No.

Dr. Eric Foreman:
We think that she's suffering from withdrawal symptoms. Detoxing generally takes several weeks. The danger is that if the drugs are masking some other illness, it could worsen before we've weaned her off the heroin.

Martin, Alex's father:
Well, how much worse?

Dr. Eric Foreman:
We don't know because we don't know what's wrong. [Martin nods in acceptance] There is a rapid detox procedure. We flush her system with an opioid antagonist. It'll end her addiction overnight. But the process is dangerous because we have to induce a coma. It also means that if she ever relapses there's a good chance she'll overdose because her body won't react to the drug.

Martin, Alex's father:
So, either way I'm - I'm risking her life. [pauses to look at Alex for a bit] Do you have to tell her how dangerous it is?