RECEIVABLES (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Accounts Receivable, Net [Abstract]
Trade receivables	$ 4,914	$ 4,599
Less charge-backs and cash discounts	(245)	(209)
Less allowances	(33)	(43)
Net trade receivables	4,636	4,347
Alliance receivables	395	322
Prepaid and refundable income taxes	218	691
Royalties, VAT and other	716	940
Receivables	5,965	6,300
Receivables sold on a nonrecourse basis	$ 756	$ 637	$ 618
The number of the largest pharmaceutical wholesalers in the U.S.	3
Customer Concentration Risk [Member]
SEC Schedule, 12-09, Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage Of Aggregate Total Trade Receivables Due	70.00%	65.00%

Amounts due within one year from alliance or collaboration partners.

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The amount of reductions to trade receivables incurred during the period attributable to cash discounts.

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The number of the largest pharmaceutical wholesalers used by the company in the territory.

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The percentage of aggregate trade receivables due from customers accounting for more than 10% of total trade receivables.

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The amount of receivables sold on a nonrecourse basis during the year.

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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.

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Amounts due from customers or clients, within one year of the balance sheet date (or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer) for goods or services (including trade receivables) that have been delivered or sold in the normal course of business.

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Amount due from customers or clients, within one year of the balance sheet date (or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer), for goods or services (including trade receivables) that have been delivered or sold in the normal course of business, reduced to the estimated net realizable fair value by an allowance established by the entity of the amount it deems uncertain of collection.

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A valuation allowance for trade and other receivables due to an Entity within one year (or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer) that are expected to be uncollectible.

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Carrying amount due within one year of the balance sheet date (or one operating cycle, if longer) from tax authorities as of the balance sheet date representing refunds of overpayments or recoveries based on agreed-upon resolutions of disputes.

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Amount due from parties in nontrade transactions, classified as other.

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The total amount due to the entity within one year of the balance sheet date (or one operating cycle, if longer) from outside sources, including trade accounts receivable, notes and loans receivable, as well as any other types of receivables, net of allowances established for the purpose of reducing such receivables to an amount that approximates their net realizable value.

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