Commercial Paper Outstanding, Average

No definition available.

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

- Definition

This element represents the debt redemption carrying value.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Interest rate on matured debt

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The interest rates on debt repurchased in the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the adjustment to principal value of long term debt related to the fair value of interest rate swaps.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Maximum amount of commercial paper outstanding during the period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Other Short-term Debt

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bmy_OtherShorttermDebt
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Proceeds of Unsecured Debt Issuance, Net of Issuance Costs

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

This element represents the the weighted average interest rate of commercial paper borrowings during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bmy_Theweightedaverageinterestrateofcommercialpaper
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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying amount of total debt obligations, net of unamortized discount or premium, including amounts to be repaid within one year. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bmy_TotalDebt
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the adjustment to principal value of long term debt related to the unamortized basis adjustment from swap terminations.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bmy_UnamortizedBasisAdjustmentFromSwapTerminations
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of unamortized bond discount and issuance costs.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of short-term borrowings using unsecured obligations issued by banks, corporations and other borrowers to investors. The maturities of these money market securities generally do not exceed 270 days.

+ References

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+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of short-term debt and current maturity of long-term debt and capital lease obligations due within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

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+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of debt instrument payable, including, but not limited to, notes payable and loans payable.

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+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- 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

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

- Definition

Fair value amount of debt instrument that was repurchased.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Difference between the fair value of payments made and the carrying amount of debt which is extinguished prior to maturity.

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of cash paid, after deduction of cash paid for capitalized interest, for interest. Includes, but is not limited to, payment to settle zero-coupon bond for accreted interest of debt discount and debt instrument with insignificant coupon interest rate in relation to effective interest rate of borrowing attributable to accreted interest of debt discount.

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt, classified as current. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs of long-term debt classified as noncurrent and excluding amounts to be repaid within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash inflow from the issuance of long-term debt that is not secured by collateral. Excludes proceeds from tax exempt unsecured debt.

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash outflow during the period from the repayment of aggregate short-term and long-term debt. Excludes payment of capital lease obligations.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The cash outflow for a borrowing supported by a written promise to pay an obligation.

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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- Definition

Reflects the total carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of debt having initial terms less than one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

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FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Debt) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Commercial Paper		$ 0		$ 299
Bank drafts and short-term borrowings		312		512
Current portion of long-term debt		1,247		0
Other Short-term Debt		61		176
Short-term debt obligations		1,620		987
Commercial Paper Outstanding, Average		$ 25
The weighted average interest rate of commercial paper		1.30%
Maximum Amount of Commercial Paper Outstanding		$ 300
Principal Value		6,819		6,835
Adjustments to Principal Value, Fair value of interest rate swaps		(19)		(6)
Adjustments to Principal Value, Unamortized basis adjustment from swap terminations		207		227
Unamortized bond discount and issuance costs		(73)		(81)
Total Long-term debt		6,934		6,975
Long-term debt		5,687		6,975
Unsecured Debt		1,500
Debt Issuance Costs, Line of Credit Arrangements, Net		1,490
Long-term debt, fair value		7,100		$ 7,500
Interest payments		$ 174	$ 172
Repayments of Notes Payable	$ 750
Interest rate on matured debt	0.88%		0.88%
Proceeds from issuance of debt			$ 337
Debt redemption carrying value	$ 366		366
Debt Instrument, Repurchase Amount	$ 474		474
Gain (Loss) on Extinguishment of Debt			$ (109)
Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rates on debt repurchased	5.875%		5.875%
Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rates on debt repurchased	6.875%		6.875%