FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Debt) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal value	$ 6,677us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount		$ 6,804us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Adjustments to Principal Value, Fair value of interest rate swaps	38		43
Adjustments to Principal Value, Unamortized basis adjustment from swap terminations	470		454
Adjustments to Principal Value, Unamortized bond discounts	(58)		(59)
Total Long-term debt	7,127bmy_TotalDebt		7,242bmy_TotalDebt
Long-term debt	7,127us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent		7,242us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
Long-term debt, fair value	8,065us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFairValue		8,045us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFairValue
Interest payments	34us-gaap_InterestPaidNet	37us-gaap_InterestPaidNet
5.45% Notes Due 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Value		582
Extinguishment Of Debt, Carrying Value		633
Extinguishment of Debt, Redemption Price		676
Extinguishment of Debt, Notional amount of interest rate swaps terminated		500
Extinguishment of Debt, Swap Termination Payments		(4)
Extinguishment of Debt, Total loss		$ 45

This element represents the carrying value of the extinguished debt.

No definition available.

Name:	bmy_ExtinguishmentOfDebtCarryingValue
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Value

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bmy_ExtinguishmentOfDebtPrincipalValue
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the payment made to extinguish outstanding debt.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bmy_ExtinguishmentOfDebtRepurchasePrice
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the adjustment to principal value of long term debt related to the fair value of interest rate swaps.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bmy_LongTermDebtInterestRateSwapFairValueAdjustmentToPrincipalValue
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The notional amount of interest rate swaps terminated during the period related to a debt repurchase.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bmy_NotionalAmountOfInterestRateSwapsTerminatedDebtRepurchase
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the proceeds received or paid upon termination of the interest rate swap.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bmy_SwapTerminationProceeds
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying amount of total debt obligations, net of unamortized discount or premium, including amounts to be repaid within one year. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bmy_TotalDebt
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the adjustment to principal value of long term debt related to the unamortized basis adjustment from swap terminations.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bmy_UnamortizedBasisAdjustmentFromSwapTerminations
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 55

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584090&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of debt instrument payable, including, but not limited to, notes payable and loans payable.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 10

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28364263&loc=d3e13433-108611

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 12

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28364263&loc=d3e13476-108611

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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

- Definition

The amount of debt discount that was originally recognized at the issuance of the instrument that has yet to be amortized.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1A

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28541-108399

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 55

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584090&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Difference between the fair value of payments made and the carrying amount of debt which is extinguished prior to maturity.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 470

-SubTopic 50

-Section 40

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6850294&loc=d3e12317-112629

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 470

-SubTopic 50

-Section 40

-Paragraph 4

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6850294&loc=d3e12355-112629

+ Details

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

- Definition

The amount of cash paid for interest during the period net of cash paid for interest that is capitalized.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4297-108586

+ Details

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

- Definition

Carrying amount of long-term debt, net of unamortized discount or premium, excluding amounts to be repaid within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer (current maturities). Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=bmy_A5.45NotesDue2018Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: