INCOME TAXES (Effective Tax Rate Reconciliation) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes [Abstract]
U.S. earnings from continuing operations before income taxes		$ 4,336	$ 3,833	$ 2,705
Non-U.S. earnings from continuing operations before income taxes		2,645	2,238	2,897
Earnings Before Income Taxes		6,981	6,071	5,602
Effective Income Tax Rate, Continuing Operations, Tax Rate Reconciliation [Abstract]
U.S statutory income tax rate		35.00%	35.00%	35.00%
Non-tax deductible annual pharmaceutical company fee, rate		1.20%
Tax effect of foreign subsidiaries' earnings previously considered indefinately reinvested offshore, rate			3.40%
Foreign tax effect of certain operations in Ireland, Puerto Rico and Switzerland, rate		(8.50%)	(11.40%)	(10.70%)
State and local taxes (net of valuation allowance), rate		0.50%	0.70%	0.30%
U.S. Federal, state and foreign contingent tax matters, rate		(2.30%)	(2.10%)	(1.10%)
U.S. Federal research and development tax credit, rate		(1.00%)	(1.00%)	(1.40%)
Foreign and other, rate		(0.20%)	1.10%	(1.00%)
Effective income tax rate		24.70%	25.70%	21.10%
Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Continuing Operations, Income Tax Reconciliation [Abstract]
U.S. statutory rate, amount		2,443	2,125	1,961
Non-tax deductible annual pharmaceutical company fee		80
Tax effect of foreign subsidiaries' earnings previously considered indefinitely reinvested offshore, amount	207		207
Foreign tax effect of certain operations in Ireland, Puerto Rico and Switzerland, amount		(593)	(694)	(598)
State and local taxes (net of valuation allowance), amount		33	43	14
U.S. Federal, state and foreign contingent tax matters		(161)	(131)	(64)
U.S. Federal research and development tax credit, amount		(69)	(61)	(81)
Foreign and other, amount		(12)	69	(50)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Total		1,721	1,558	1,182
Out-of-period tax adjustment related to previously unrecognized net deferred tax assets primarily attributed to deferred profits related to certain alliances			59
Tax benefit/charge from finalizing U.S. tax return		$ 54	$ 30	$ 67