Dr. Gregory House regularly misuses Vicodin in House, M.D.
Vicodin is a brand-name prescription combination of hydrocodone and paracetamol, also called acetaminophen. In the series, House takes it to manage chronic leg pain caused by an infarction in his quadriceps muscle. His reliance on the drug becomes a major part of his characterization and several story arcs.
The medication is not presented simply as a background detail. House’s use affects his judgment, relationships, employment, and treatment of patients. The show explores addiction, withdrawal, denial, and the difference between pain management and dependency.
House’s cane and limp are connected to the same leg injury, but the injury and the medication are separate facts. Vicodin is the brand name most associated with him; it is not the name of his diagnosis or medical specialty. Real-world formulations and prescribing rules have also changed over time.