Dr. Gregory House regularly misuses Vicodin in House M.D. Vicodin is a brand name for a combination of hydrocodone and acetaminophen, and the series depicts House taking it to manage chronic pain caused by his leg injury.
House’s dependence on the drug is a continuing character and plot element rather than a minor medical detail. His colleagues worry about his judgment, health, and ability to practice medicine safely, while House often minimizes or rationalizes the consequences.
The show connects House’s pain to an infarction in his quadriceps muscle, which left him with permanent damage and a limp. His cane and painkiller use therefore operate together as visible reminders of the injury.
Vicodin is sometimes confused with other opioid medicines that appear in television dramas. In House M.D., however, Vicodin is the specific drug most closely associated with House’s addiction and daily routine.