This element represents the carrying value of the extinguished debt.

No definition available.

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Extinguishment of Debt, Principal Value

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the payment made to extinguish outstanding debt.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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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.

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- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
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- 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

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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

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- Definition

The amount of unamortized bond discount and issuance costs.

+ References

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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- Definition

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

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- Definition

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

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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Nominal or face amount used to calculate payments on the derivative liability.

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- Definition

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

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- Definition

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

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Amount of long-term debt, after unamortized discount or premium, scheduled to be repaid within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

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- 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.

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- Definition

The cash inflow from a debt initially having maturity due after one year or beyond the operating cycle, if longer.

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FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Debt) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal value	$ 6,367		$ 6,339
Adjustments to Principal Value, Fair value of interest rate swaps	8		30
Adjustments to Principal Value, Unamortized basis adjustment from swap terminations	294		272
Unamortized bond discount and issuance costs	(84)		(91)
Total Long-term debt	6,585		6,550
Current portion of long-term debt	749
Long-term debt	5,836		6,550
Long-term debt, fair value	7,493		$ 6,909
Interest payments	$ 140	$ 158
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt		1,268
Extinguishment of debt, principal amount		1,624
Extinguishment of debt, carrying value		1,795
Extinguishment of debt, redemption price		1,957
Extinguishment of debt, notional amount of terminated swap contracts		735
Extinguishment of debt, interest rate swap termination payments		11
Loss on debt redemption		180
Euro Member Countries, Euro
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal value				$ 1,150
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt		1,133
Euro Member Countries, Euro \| 1.000% Euro Notes Due 2025 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal value				575
Euro Member Countries, Euro \| 1.750% Euro Notes Due 2035 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal value				575
United States of America, Dollars
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal value				1,286
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt		1,268
United States of America, Dollars \| 1.000% Euro Notes Due 2025 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal value				643
United States of America, Dollars \| 1.750% Euro Notes Due 2035 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal value				643
Forward Starting Interest Rate Swap Contracts [Member] \| Euro Member Countries, Euro
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Liability, Notional Amount				500
Forward starting interest rate swap termination unrealized loss		(16)
Forward Starting Interest Rate Swap Contracts [Member] \| United States of America, Dollars
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative Liability, Notional Amount				$ 559
Forward starting interest rate swap termination unrealized loss		$ (18)