LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AND CONTINGENCIES (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) lawsuits	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) lawsuits	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Legal Proceedings And Contingencies [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 4,069.0	$ 3,921.0	$ 12,273.0	$ 11,621.0
Baraclude [Member]
Legal Proceedings And Contingencies [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 320.0	$ 325.0	1,003.0	$ 1,100.0
Baraclude Intellectual Property Litigation [Member] | Baraclude [Member] | South Korea [Member]
Legal Proceedings And Contingencies [Line Items]
Total revenues			$ 99.0		$ 158.0
AWP Litigation [Member]
Legal Proceedings And Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of lawsuits | lawsuits	2		2
Loss contingency, Estimate of possible loss	$ 28.0		$ 28.0
Qui Tam Litigation [Member]
Legal Proceedings And Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of sales representatives	3		3
Plavix Product Liability Litigation [Member]
Legal Proceedings And Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of lawsuits	5,200		5,200
Reglan Product Liability [Member]
Legal Proceedings And Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of current plaintiffs	3,000		3,000
Byetta Product Liability Litigation [Member]
Legal Proceedings And Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of lawsuits	500		500
Number of plaintiffs settled	510		510
Number of current plaintiffs	2,400		2,400
FCPA Investigation [Member]
Legal Proceedings And Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation settlement, Gross			$ 14.7
Environmental Proceedings Cercla Matters [Member]
Legal Proceedings And Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, Estimate of possible loss	$ 61.0		$ 61.0
Environmental Proceedings North Brunswick [Member]
Legal Proceedings And Contingencies [Line Items]
Number Of Interim Payments			2
Litigation settlement, Gross			$ 4.0