Additional Cash Payments For Milestone Payments

No definition available.

Name:	mdvn_AdditionalCashPaymentsForMilestonePayments
Namespace Prefix:	mdvn_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Co-promotion of sales and medical affairs percentage.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mdvn_CoPromotionOfSalesAndMedicalAffairsPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	mdvn_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Deferred revenue additions related to development milestones.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mdvn_DeferredRevenueAdditionsRelatedToDevelopmentMilestones
Namespace Prefix:	mdvn_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Eligible future milestone payments under collaboration arrangement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mdvn_EligibleFutureMilestonePaymentsUnderCollaborationArrangement
Namespace Prefix:	mdvn_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage Of Up Front And Development Cash Payments To Licensor

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mdvn_PercentageOfUpFrontAndDevelopmentCashPaymentsToLicensor
Namespace Prefix:	mdvn_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Net amount due from collaboration partners for reimbursable development and commercialization costs.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mdvn_ReceivableFromCollaborationPartners
Namespace Prefix:	mdvn_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Share Percentage Of Development And Commercialization Cost Under Former Collaboration

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mdvn_SharePercentageOfDevelopmentAndCommercializationCostUnderFormerCollaboration
Namespace Prefix:	mdvn_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of deferred revenue recognized for transactions arising during the current reporting period. Deferred revenue is a liability as of the balance sheet date related to a revenue producing activity for which revenue has not yet been recognized. Generally, an Entity records deferred revenue when it receives consideration from a customer before achieving certain criteria that must be met for revenue to be recognized in conformity with GAAP.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 13

-Section A

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 605

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 13.A.4(a).Q1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6600647&loc=d3e214044-122780

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredRevenueAdditions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredRevenueArrangementLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Collaboration Agreements (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended						3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
Collaboration Agreements (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011 Astellas [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Astellas [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Pfizer [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Pfizer [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Up-Front Cash Payment Arrangement [Member] Astellas [Member]	Dec. 31, 2008 Up-Front Cash Payment Arrangement [Member] Pfizer [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Up-Front Cash Payment Arrangement [Member] Pfizer [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Development Milestone Payments [Member] Astellas [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Development Milestone Payments [Member] Astellas [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Commercial Milestone Payments [Member] Astellas [Member]	Dec. 31, 2008 Collaborative Arrangement [Member] Pfizer [Member]	Dec. 31, 2008 Collaborative Arrangement [Member] Development Milestone Payments [Member] Pfizer [Member]	Dec. 31, 2008 Collaborative Arrangement [Member] Commercial Milestone Payments [Member] Pfizer [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Acceptance Of MMA [Member] Application Accepted [Member] Milestone Payments [Member] Astellas [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Acceptance Of NDA [Member] Application Accepted [Member] Milestone Payments [Member] Astellas [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Approval Of NDA [Member] Application Approved [Member] Milestone Payments [Member] Astellas [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Approval Of MAA [Member] Application Approved [Member] Milestone Payments [Member] Astellas [Member]
Deferred Revenue Arrangement [Line Items]
Percentage of sales and medical forces used for marketing approval of MDV3100	50.00%
Non-refundable up-front payments							$ 110,000,000	$ 225,000,000	$ 225,000,000		$ 123,000,000		$ 225,000,000
Deferred revenue additions related to development milestones											13,000,000
Eligible to receive milestone payments										335,000,000		320,000,000				5,000,000	10,000,000	30,000,000
Additional milestone payments																			15,000,000
Percentage of up-front cash payments to licensor											10.00%
Share percentage of development and commercialization cost under former collaboration														60.00%	40.00%
Receivable from collaboration partners	$ 12,545,000	$ 21,188,000	$ 10,600,000	$ 11,600,000	$ 2,000,000	$ 9,600,000