Gregory House struggles with Vicodin dependence for much of House M.D.
Vicodin is a prescription painkiller combining hydrocodone and paracetamol, known as acetaminophen in the United States. In the series, House uses it to manage chronic pain caused by permanent damage to his right leg. His reliance on the drug becomes a major medical, ethical, and personal storyline rather than a minor character detail.
The show depicts House hiding, defending, and sometimes losing control over his use of Vicodin. Several plot arcs examine withdrawal, rehabilitation, relapse, and the way addiction affects his judgment and relationships. The writers also use the dependency to complicate the familiar television image of the infallible doctor: House may solve a case, but he cannot easily solve his own condition.
Vicodin is not the same as oxycodone-only medicines such as OxyContin, and it should not be confused with a generic term for all prescription painkillers. The product’s hydrocodone component is an opioid, while paracetamol is a non-opioid analgesic. Medical formulations and regulations have changed over time.