LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AND CONTINGENCIES (Details) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) patents lawsuits
Legal Proceedings And Contingencies [Line Items]
Document Period End Date	Sep. 30, 2017
Anti PD-1 Antibody Patent Litigation [Member]
Legal Proceedings And Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of patents | patents	5
Number of scientists	2
Eliquis Patent Litigation [Member]
Legal Proceedings And Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of patents | patents	2
Number of companies seeking approval of generic versions of Eliquis	25
Plavix Product Liability Litigation [Member]
Legal Proceedings And Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of lawsuits | lawsuits	5,000
Number of lawsuits dismissed | lawsuits	2,000
Byetta Product Liability Litigation [Member]
Legal Proceedings And Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of lawsuits	500
Number of plaintiffs settled	15
Number of current plaintiffs	2,000
Abilify Product Liability [Member]
Legal Proceedings And Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of lawsuits	400
Eliquis Product Liability Litigation [Member]
Legal Proceedings And Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of lawsuits	150
Number of cases dismissed	80
Shareholder Derivative Litigation [Member]
Legal Proceedings And Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of lawsuits	3
Litigation settlement, Gross | $	$ 14.7
Number of lawsuits dismissed	3
Number of appeals	1
Environmental Proceedings Cercla Matters [Member]
Legal Proceedings And Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, Estimate of possible loss | $	$ 63.0