Segment Information - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended			60 Months Ended	12 Months Ended					3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2011 Total Assets	Dec. 31, 2010 Total Assets	Dec. 31, 2011 Capital Expenditures	Dec. 31, 2010 Capital Expenditures	Dec. 31, 2012 Pension Plans, Defined Benefit	Sep. 30, 2011 Unallocated Amount To Awp Litigation And Historical Price Reporting Charge	Dec. 31, 2011 Unallocated Amount To Awp Litigation And Historical Price Reporting Charge	Dec. 31, 2010 Greece receivables	Feb. 29, 2012 Momenta Pharmaceuticals	Jun. 30, 2012 Chatham Therapeutics	Sep. 30, 2012 Onconova Therapeutics, Inc.	Sep. 30, 2012 Onconova Therapeutics, Inc.	Jun. 30, 2012 Apatech Limited	Mar. 31, 2012 Prism Pharmaceuticals	Dec. 31, 2012 Prism Pharmaceuticals	Dec. 31, 2012 Transfusion Therapies	Dec. 31, 2011 Transfusion Therapies	Dec. 31, 2010 Transfusion Therapies	Dec. 31, 2012 BioScience	Dec. 31, 2012 BioScience Momenta Pharmaceuticals	Dec. 31, 2012 BioScience Chatham Therapeutics	Dec. 31, 2012 BioScience Onconova Therapeutics, Inc.	Dec. 31, 2012 BioScience Apatech Limited	Dec. 31, 2012 Medical Products	Dec. 31, 2010 Medical Products	Dec. 31, 2012 Medical Products Prism Pharmaceuticals
Segment Information [Line Items]
Post divestiture revenues																							$ 38	$ 36	$ 46
Impact of re-allocation on segment measures, shift from MP to BioScience								988	901	25	43
Business Development Related Charges		48		128		34																				123
Research and development expense				1,156	946	915										33	30	50	50								33	30	50
Reduction of contingent payment liability				91																38	53	53								38			53
Reserve adjustment primarily related to infusion pump reserve	23																														23
Infusion Pump Charges						588	337																									588
Impairment charges				9	62	112																										112
Litigation-related charges						62																										62
Settlement charge, before tax				168								168
Total costs associated with optimizing overall cost structure				150	192	257
Asset impairments and other			103		103
Resolution of litigation pertaining to AWP and certain historical rebate and discount													79	79
Greece receivable charge															$ 28