This element represents royalty income recognized in other income during the period related to the sale of a business.

No definition available.

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

- Definition

The percentage of net sales of certain products in certain territories payable as a distribution fee pursuant to the collaboration agreement to other collaboration partners.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Expense recognized in cost of products sold as a distribution fee pursuant to the collaboration agreement during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

This item represents the non-cash charge relating to the divestiture of a business.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

This element represents payments to or (from) alliance partners for the costs of product supply during the period, which are included in cost of products sold.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The percentage share of pre-tax profit/loss received from the net sales of a collaboration partner to be shared further equally with another collaboration partner.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

This element represents the royalty rate on net sales of certain products during the period related to the sale of a business.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bmy_RoyaltyRateOnNetSales
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Sales threshold for 2015 when the royalty rate adjusts to a lower percentage of net sales.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bmy_Royaltysalesthreshold2015
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Sales threshold for 2016 when the royalty rate adjusts to a lower percentage of net sales.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bmy_Royaltysalesthreshold2016
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Sales threshold for 2017 when the royalty rate adjusts to a lower percentage of net sales.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bmy_Royaltysalesthreshold2017
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Sales threshold for 2018 when the royalty rate adjusts to a lower percentage of net sales.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bmy_Royaltysalesthreshold2018
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate expense charged against earnings to allocate the cost of intangible assets (nonphysical assets not used in production) in a systematic and rational manner to the periods expected to benefit from such assets. As a noncash expense, this element is added back to net income when calculating cash provided by or used in operations using the indirect method.

+ References

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+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- 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.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount before tax of gain (loss) recognized on the sale or disposal of a disposal group. Excludes discontinued operations.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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.

+ References

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+ Details

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

- Definition

Aggregate revenue during the period from the sale of goods in the normal course of business, after deducting returns, allowances and discounts.

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

- Definition

Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

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-Publisher FASB
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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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Period Type:

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- Details

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Data Type:	na
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ALLIANCES (Lilly) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
ALLIANCES (Lilly) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Alliances Statement [Line Items]
Net product sales									$ 17,702	$ 14,045	$ 11,660
Alliance revenues									1,725	2,515	4,219
Total Revenues	$ 5,243	$ 4,922	$ 4,871	$ 4,391	$ 4,287	$ 4,069	$ 4,163	$ 4,041	19,427	16,560	15,879
Cost of products sold - Amortization of intangible asset									178	183	286
Royalties									(618)	(293)	(192)
Divestiture loss									564	194	564
Erbitux [Member]
Alliances Statement [Line Items]
Total Revenues										501	723
Lilly [Member]
Alliances Statement [Line Items]
Net product sales										492	691
Alliance revenues										9	32
Total Revenues										501	723
Cost of products sold - Distribution fees and royalties										204	287
Cost of products sold - Amortization of intangible asset										11	37
Cost of products sold - Cost of product supply										46	$ 69
Royalties									(246)	(70)
Divestiture loss										$ 171
Lilly [Member] \| Erbitux [Member] \| North America [Member]
Alliances Statement [Line Items]
Distribution fee, percentage of net sales					39.00%					39.00%
Divestiture non-cash charge										$ 171
Royalty sales threshold - 2015									165
Royalty sales threshold - 2016									650
Royalty sales threshold - 2017									650
Royalty sales threshold - 2018									480
Royalties									$ 227	56
Lilly and Merck KGaA [Member] \| Erbitux [Member] \| Japan [Member]
Alliances Statement [Line Items]
Percentage share of pre-tax profit/loss received from the net sales of a collaboration partner to be shared further equally with another collaboration partner.	50.00%								50.00%
Merck KGaA [Member] \| Erbitux [Member] \| Japan [Member]
Alliances Statement [Line Items]
Royalties									$ 19	$ 14
Maximum [Member] \| Lilly [Member] \| Erbitux [Member] \| North America [Member]
Alliances Statement [Line Items]
Royalty rate on net sales									38.00%
Minimum [Member] \| Lilly [Member] \| Erbitux [Member] \| North America [Member]
Alliances Statement [Line Items]
Royalty rate on net sales									20.00%