INCOME TAXES (Effective Tax Rate Reconciliation) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest [Abstract]
U.S. Earnings/(Loss) before income taxes	$ 2,280	$ 3,100	$ (1,329)
Non-U.S. Earnings before income taxes	2,851	2,815	3,406
Earnings Before Income Taxes	5,131	5,915	2,077
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Amount [Abstract]
U.S. statutory rate, Amount	1,796	2,070	727
Deemed repatriation transition tax, Amount	2,611
Deferred tax remeasurement, Amount	285
Foreign tax effect of certain operations in Ireland, Puerto Rico and Switzerland	(561)	(442)	(535)
U.S. Federal valuation allowance release		(29)	(84)
U.S. Federal, state and foreign contingent tax matters, Amount	72	87	56
U.S. Federal research based credits, amount	(144)	(144)	(132)
Non-tax deductible goodwill related to diabetes divestiture, Amount	4	34	25
Non-tax deductible U.S. Branded Prescription Drug fee, Amount	52	52	44
Non-tax deductible research and development charge, Amount	266	100	369
Puerto Rico excise tax, amount	(131)	(131)	(55)
Domestic manufacturing deduction, amount	(78)	(122)	(17)
State and local taxes (net of valuation allowance), amount	77	23	16
Foreign and other, Amount	(93)	(90)	32
Provision for Income Taxes	$ 4,156	$ 1,408	$ 446
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Percent [Abstract]
U.S. statutory income tax rate	35.00%	35.00%	35.00%
Deemed repatriation transition tax, Percent	50.90%
Deferred tax remeasurement, Percent	5.60%
Foreign tax effect of certain operations in Ireland, Puerto Rico and Switzerland, Rate	(10.90%)	(7.50%)	(25.80%)
Valuation allowance release percent		(0.50%)	(4.00%)
U.S. Federal, state and foreign contingent tax matters, Rate	1.40%	1.50%	2.70%
U.S. Federal research based credits, Rate	(2.80%)	(2.40%)	(6.40%)
Non-tax deductible goodwill related to diabetes divestiture, Rate	0.10%	0.60%	1.20%
Non-tax deductible U.S. Branded Prescription Drug Fee, Rate	1.00%	0.90%	2.10%
Non-tax deductible research and development charge, Rate	5.20%	1.70%	17.80%
Puerto Rico excise tax, Rate	(2.60%)	(2.20%)	(2.70%)
Domestic manufacturing deduction, Percent	(1.50%)	(2.10%)	(0.80%)
State and local taxes (net of valuation allowance), Rate	1.50%	0.40%	0.80%
Foreign and other, Rate	(1.90%)	(1.60%)	1.60%
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Percent	81.00%	23.80%	21.50%
Reduction of effective tax rate due to adoption of ASU	2.40%
Income taxes attributed to U.S. tax reform	$ (2,900)
2017 Tax Act [Member]
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Percent [Abstract]
U.S. statutory income tax rate	21.00%
Earnings in the Form of Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Percent [Abstract]
Transition Repatriation Tax Rate	15.50%
Other Foreign Earnings [Member]
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Percent [Abstract]
Transition Repatriation Tax Rate	8.00%