SELECTED QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2008
Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) [Abstract]
Net Sales	$ 5,454	$ 5,345	$ 5,434	$ 5,011	$ 5,111	$ 4,798	$ 4,768	$ 4,807	$ 21,244	$ 19,484	$ 18,808
Gross Margin	4,087	3,938	3,953	3,668	3,697	3,518	3,491	3,501	15,646	14,207
Net Earnings from Continuing Operations	1,231	1,355	1,307	1,367	842	1,302	1,268	1,101	5,260	4,513	4,420
Net Earnings Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	379	386	405	381	359	353	341	358	1,551	1,411	1,250
Net earnings from continuing operations attributable to Bristol-Myers Squibb Company	852	969	902	986	483	949	927	743	3,709	3,102	3,239
Earnings per share - basic	$ 0.50	$ 0.57	$ 0.53	$ 0.58	$ 0.28	$ 0.55	$ 0.54	$ 0.43	$ 2.18	$ 1.80	$ 5.35
Earnings per share - diluted	$ 0.50	$ 0.56	$ 0.52	$ 0.57	$ 0.28	$ 0.55	$ 0.53	$ 0.43	$ 2.16	$ 1.79	$ 5.34
Dividends declared per common share	$ 0.34	$ 0.33	$ 0.33	$ 0.33	$ 0.33	$ 0.32	$ 0.32	$ 0.32	$ 1.33	$ 1.29	$ 1.25
Cash and cash equivalents	5,776	4,471	3,665	3,405	5,033	7,581	5,918	5,135	5,776	5,033	7,683	7,976
Marketable securities	5,866	6,541	6,739	6,453	4,949	3,340	4,331	4,638	5,866	4,949
Provision for restructuring	24	8	40	44	63	15	24	11	116	113	136
Impairment and loss on sale of manufacturing operations					11	10	15	200		236
Accelerated depreciation, asset impairment, and other shutdown costs	15	19	18	23	28	27	27	31	75	113
Pension curtailments and settlements	13				10	3	5		13	18
Process standardization implementation costs	10	5	10	4	8	8	6	13	29	35
Gain on sale of product lines, businesses and assets		(12)							(12)
Litigation charges/(recoveries)	80			(102)	(41)	22			(22)	(19)
Upfront, milestone, and other licensing payments	(20)	69	50	88	60		17	55	187	132
Acquisition related items					10					10
In-process research and development impairment		13		15	10				28	10
Product liability charges	(5)	10		26	4	13			31	17
Total	117	112	118	98	163	98	94	310	445	665
Income tax on items above	(37)	(37)	(34)	(28)	(46)	(30)	(18)	(86)	(136)	(180)
Out-of-period tax adjustment							(59)			(59)
Specified tax charge					207					207
Specified tax benefit	(26)		(15)	(56)					(97)
Decrease to Net Earnings	$ 54	$ 75	$ 69	$ 14	$ 324	$ 68	$ 17	$ 224	$ 212	$ 633