Goodwill and intangible assets (Details 1) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Finite-lived intangible assets:
Gross carrying amount	$ 16,470	$ 15,197
Accumulated amortization	(5,932)	(4,575)
Intangible assets, net	10,538us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet	10,622us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
Indefinite-lived intangible assets:
Identifiable intangible assets	18,625amgn_IdentifiableIntangibleAssetsGross	17,837amgn_IdentifiableIntangibleAssetsGross
Accumulated amortization	(5,932)	(4,575)
Identifiable intangible assets, net	12,693	13,262
IPR&D [Member]
Indefinite-lived intangible assets:
Indefinite-lived intangible assets	2,155	2,640
Developed Product Technology Rights [Member]
Finite-lived intangible assets:
Gross carrying amount	10,826	10,130
Accumulated amortization	(4,155)	(3,347)
Intangible assets, net	6,671	6,783
Licensing Rights [Member]
Finite-lived intangible assets:
Gross carrying amount	3,236	3,241
Accumulated amortization	(696)	(366)
Intangible assets, net	2,540	2,875
R&D Technology Rights [Member]
Finite-lived intangible assets:
Gross carrying amount	1,167	1,207
Accumulated amortization	(569)	(496)
Intangible assets, net	598	711
Marketing-related Rights [Member]
Finite-lived intangible assets:
Gross carrying amount	1,241	619
Accumulated amortization	(512)	(366)
Intangible assets, net	$ 729	$ 253

Identifiable intangible assets accumulated amortization.

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- Definition

Identifiable intangible assets gross.

+ References

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- Definition

Accumulated amount of amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16323-109275

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Amount before amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

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Amount after amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

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Amount of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance and having a projected indefinite period of benefit.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16323-109275

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- Definition

Sum of the carrying amounts of all intangible assets, excluding goodwill, as of the balance sheet date, net of accumulated amortization and impairment charges.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388964&loc=d3e16212-109274

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