ACCOUNTING POLICIES (New Accounting Pronouncements) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Change in cash provided by operating activities	$ 5,275	$ 3,058	$ 2,105
Reduction of tax expense due to accounting change	4,156	1,408	446
Change in cash used in financing activities	4,077	2,653	3,624
Cost of products sold	6,066	4,946	3,909
Marketing, selling and administrative	4,687	4,911	4,841
Research and development	6,411	4,940	5,920
Other income (net)	(1,519)	(1,285)	(187)
ASU 2017-07 [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Cost of products sold	6,092	4,967
Marketing, selling and administrative	4,733	4,960
Research and development	6,474	5,005
Other income (net)	(1,654)	(1,420)
ASU 2016-02 - Leases [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Undiscounted value of lease obligations	800
Accounting Standards Update 2016-09 [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Operating Activities	39	92	147
Change in cash provided by operating activities	125	208	273
Change in cash used in financing activities	125	$ 208	$ 273
Accounting Standards Update 2016-16 [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Accounting change - cumulative effect	787
Reduction of tax expense due to accounting change	86
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Expected reduction in revenue	200
Expected reduction in other income	$ 125

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Total costs related to goods produced and sold during the reporting period.

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Amount of cash outflow for realized tax benefit related to deductible compensation cost reported on the entity's tax return for equity instruments in excess of the compensation cost for those instruments recognized for financial reporting purposes.

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Amount of cash inflow (outflow) from operating activities, including discontinued operations. Operating activity cash flows include transactions, adjustments, and changes in value not defined as investing or financing activities.

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Amount of cumulative effect of the change in accounting principle or new accounting pronouncement on retained earnings or other components of equity or net assets in the statement of financial position as of the beginning of the earliest period presented.

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Amount of revenue and income classified as other.

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The aggregate costs incurred (1) in a planned search or critical investigation aimed at discovery of new knowledge with the hope that such knowledge will be useful in developing a new product or service, a new process or technique, or in bringing about a significant improvement to an existing product or process; or (2) to translate research findings or other knowledge into a plan or design for a new product or process or for a significant improvement to an existing product or process whether intended for sale or the entity's use, during the reporting period charged to research and development projects, including the costs of developing computer software up to the point in time of achieving technological feasibility, and costs allocated in accounting for a business combination to in-process projects deemed to have no alternative future use.

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The aggregate total costs related to selling a firm's product and services, as well as all other general and administrative expenses. Direct selling expenses (for example, credit, warranty, and advertising) are expenses that can be directly linked to the sale of specific products. Indirect selling expenses are expenses that cannot be directly linked to the sale of specific products, for example telephone expenses, Internet, and postal charges. General and administrative expenses include salaries of non-sales personnel, rent, utilities, communication, etc.

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