Guarantor Financial Information - Consolidating Statement of Comprehensive Loss (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Condensed Statement Of Income Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (loss)	$ (18,639)	$ (44,962)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	5,419	(5,445)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	5,419	(5,445)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(13,220)	(50,407)
Less: Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest	(438)	(123)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to inVentiv Health, Inc.	(13,658)	(50,530)
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Statement Of Income Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (loss)	(29,357)	2,463
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(8,781)	9,446
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	(8,781)	9,446
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(38,138)	11,909
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to inVentiv Health, Inc.	(38,138)	11,909
Inventiv Health Inc [Member]
Condensed Statement Of Income Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (loss)	(19,077)	(45,085)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	5,419	(5,445)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	5,419	(5,445)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(13,658)	(50,530)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to inVentiv Health, Inc.	(13,658)	(50,530)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Statement Of Income Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (loss)	17,097	(6,451)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	2,662	(5,435)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	2,662	(5,435)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	19,759	(11,886)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to inVentiv Health, Inc.	19,759	(11,886)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Statement Of Income Captions [Line Items]
Net Income (loss)	12,698	4,111
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustment	6,119	(4,011)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	6,119	(4,011)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	18,817	100
Less: Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest	(438)	(123)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to inVentiv Health, Inc.	$ 18,379	$ (23)