Name:	bmy_PercentageOfNetSalesRecognizedFirstYearFollowingTheTermination
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

This element represents the percentage of sales payable to the company as a royalty from an alliance partner in the third year following the termination of the alliance agreement.

No definition available.

Name:	bmy_PercentageOfNetSalesRecognizedThirdYearFollowingTheTermination
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

This element represents the percentage of sales payable to the company as a royalty from an alliance partner in the second year following the termination of the alliance agreement.

No definition available.

Name:	bmy_PercentageofNetSalesRecognizedSecondYearAfterTheTermination
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

This element represents the total number of months the company will receive royalty payments from an alliance partner following the termination of the alliance agreement.

No definition available.

Name:	bmy_TotalNumbersOfMonthsToReceiveRoyaltyPaymentFromAlliancePartner
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

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.

No definition available.

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

Total carrying amount of consideration received or receivable as of the balance sheet date representing potential earnings that were not as yet recognized as revenue or other forms of income in conformity with GAAP.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 605
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 13.A.4(a).Q1 Response)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012821&loc=d3e214044-122780

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 13
-Section A

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

This item represents the entity's proportionate share for the period of the net income (loss) of its investee (such as unconsolidated subsidiaries and joint ventures) to which the equity method of accounting is applied. This item includes income or expense related to stock-based compensation based on the investor's grant of stock to employees of an equity method investee.

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=56944662&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35755396&loc=d3e33749-111570

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.12)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 9
-Article 5

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 04
-Paragraph 11
-Article 7

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

Revenues from the sale of other goods or rendering of other services, not elsewhere specified in the taxonomy; net of (reduced by) sales adjustments, returns, allowances, and discounts.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1(a),(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688