DIVESTITURES (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Divestiture proceeds	$ 651	$ 1,317	$ 697
Divestiture gain	(161)	(564)	(194)
Royalties	(557)	(618)	(293)
Asset impairment charges	241	13	1
Manufacturing Facility in Swords, Ireland [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Divestiture proceeds	165
Initial divestiture proceeds received in Q1 2018	158
Asset impairment charges	146
Investigational HIV business [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Divestiture proceeds		387
Divestiture gain	(11)	(272)
Upfront payment received	350
Total contingent development and regulatory milestone payments	1,100
Transition fees	10	105
Total contingent sales based milestones	4,300
Over the counter products - Reckitt [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Divestiture proceeds		317
Divestiture gain		(277)
Diabetes business [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Divestiture proceeds	405	333	374
Divestiture gain	(126)		(82)
Royalties	(329)	(361)	(215)
Erbitux [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Divestiture proceeds	218	252	9
Divestiture gain			171
Royalties	(224)	(246)	(70)
Recothrom [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Divestiture proceeds			132
Divestiture gain			(59)
Mature brands - Valeant [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Divestiture proceeds			61
Divestiture gain			(88)
Ixempra [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Divestiture proceeds	4	13	113
Divestiture gain			(88)
Royalties	(4)	(11)	(8)
Other divestitures [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Divestiture proceeds	24	15	8
Divestiture gain	(24)	$ (15)	$ (48)
R&D Facility in Wallingford, CT [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Asset impairment charges	$ 79