House is addicted to Vicodin in the television series House, M.D.
Vicodin is a prescription combination of hydrocodone and paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen. In the show, House uses it to manage chronic leg pain caused by an infarction in his quadriceps muscle, but his use develops into a serious dependence.
The addiction is not merely a character detail. It affects House’s judgment, employment, relationships and medical licensing. Several story arcs involve detoxification, rehabilitation, withdrawal symptoms and the consequences of obtaining or misusing prescriptions.
Viewers sometimes describe Vicodin as a fictional drug associated only with the series, but it is a real medication. Its formulation and legal status have varied by country, so the show’s American prescription context does not apply universally.