ALLIANCES AND COLLABORATIONS (Valeant) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Alliances and Collaborations Statement [Line Items]
Amortization of deferred income	$ 111	$ 47
Valeant [Member]
Alliances and Collaborations Statement [Line Items]
Upfront licensing and milestone payments received	79
Upfront payment allocated to license and other rights transferred to a collaboration partner	61
Upfront option to be received from a collaboration partner	18
Amortization of deferred income	$ 7

The amount of upfront, licensing and milestone payments received by the Company during the period that is amortized from deferred income over the useful life of the products into other income.

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

This element represents the amount of an upfront option to be received from a collaboration partner. The fair value of the option was recorded as a liability. Changes in the liability will be recognized in the results of operations.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

This element represents the portion of an upfront payment allocated to license and other rights transferred to a collaboration partner. This amount was recognized as alliance revenue throughout the term of the collaboration.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Details

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

- Definition

Amount of previously reported deferred or unearned revenue that was recognized as revenue during the period. Deferred revenue is a liability related to a revenue producing activity for which revenue has not yet been recognized. Generally, an entity records deferred revenue when it receives consideration from a customer before achieving certain criteria that must be met for revenue to be recognized in conformity with GAAP.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 605

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 13.A.4(a).Q1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6600647&loc=d3e214044-122780

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 13

-Section A

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredRevenueRevenueRecognized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration