LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AND CONTINGENCIES (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended							1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended														3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2013 Baraclude [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Baraclude [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Baraclude [Member]	Mar. 31, 2010 Atripla Intellectual Property Litigation [Member]	Jan. 31, 2010 Atripla Intellectual Property Litigation [Member]	Apr. 30, 2009 Atripla Intellectual Property Litigation [Member]	Aug. 31, 2010 Baraclude Intellectual Property Litigation [Member]	Nov. 30, 2010 Sprycel Intellectual Property Litigation [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Sprycel Intellectual Property Litigation [Member]	Nov. 30, 2008 Remaining Apotex Matters Related To Plavix [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Remaining Apotex Matters Related To Plavix [Member]	Jan. 31, 2011 Remaining Apotex Matters Related To Plavix [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 AWP Litigation [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 AWP Litigation [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Qui Tam Litigation [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Plavix Product Liability Litigation [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Reglan Product Liability [Member]	Apr. 30, 2013 Hormone Replacement Therapy Product Liability [Member]	Apr. 30, 2013 Byetta And Bydureon Product Liability Litigation [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 BMS-986094 Product Liability [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Environmental Proceedings Cercla Matters [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Environmental Proceedings New Brunswick [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Environmental Proceedings New Brunswick [Member]	Oct. 30, 2011 Environmental Proceedings New Brunswick [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Environmental Proceedings North Brunswick [Member]
Legal Proceedings And Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation settlement, Gross												$ 60															$ 4
Number of patent infringement lawsuits						2				4
Number of patents owned						6		15
Number of patents challenged						2	8	2	1		4
Number of lawsuits															2					35	100	5		400	250	150
Loss contingency, Estimate of possible loss																28							68
Number of current plaintiffs																	3	3,000	2,700		575
Number of plaintiffs settled																					300
Number of settlements																						4
Interest percentage on damages sought by third party														1.00%
Number of clinical trial patients																						300
Net sales	$ 3,831	$ 5,251	$ 366	$ 325	$ 241
Number of interim payments already transmitted																											2
The minimum number of months of profits that a plaintiff is seeking in damages													8
The maximum number of months of profits that a plaintiff is seeking in damages													11.5
Number of plaintiffs settled in principle																				400