Gregory House regularly uses Vicodin in House M.D. to manage chronic leg pain.
Vicodin is a brand name for a combination of hydrocodone and paracetamol, also called acetaminophen. In the series, House’s dependence on the drug is not simply a background detail: it affects his relationships, medical judgment, employment, and attempts at rehabilitation.
House’s pain began after an infarction in the quadriceps muscle of his right leg. The resulting damage left him with permanent impairment and chronic pain, contributing to his distinctive limp. The show repeatedly explores the boundary between legitimate pain treatment and addiction.
Viewers sometimes identify Vicodin as a generic drug, but it is a brand name. The product’s exact legal status and availability vary by country, while the show uses the American brand name as part of House’s characterization.