Gregory House frequently takes the painkiller Vicodin in House M.D.
Vicodin is a brand name for a combination of hydrocodone and paracetamol, also called acetaminophen. In the series, House uses it to manage chronic pain caused by muscle infarction in his right thigh, a condition that left him with a permanent limp.
House’s Vicodin use is a major part of his characterization and creates a continuing storyline about dependence, withdrawal, professional scrutiny, and the effects of opioid medication. The show uses the medication as both a practical detail and a source of conflict with colleagues and hospital administrators.
Vicodin is not the same as Valium, which is diazepam, or Percocet, another opioid-and-acetaminophen product. The fictional portrayal should not be treated as medical guidance: opioid medicines can cause dependence, overdose, and other serious harms.