Contingencies (Details) $ in Millions, BRL in Billions	1 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Apr. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 BRL
Product Liability Litigation [Member] | Actos [Member]
Loss Contingency, Parties Jointly and Severally Liable in Litigation, Actual Opt In, Percent	96.00%
Multi District Litigation MDL [Member] | Byetta [Member]
Loss Contingency, Number of Lawsuits				420	420
Loss Contingency, Number of Plaintiffs				425	425
Product Liability Litigation [Member] | Byetta [Member]
Loss Contingency, Number of Lawsuits				510	510
Loss Contingency, Number of Plaintiffs				860	860
Loss Contingency, Number of Claimants				10	10
Product Liability Litigation [Member] | Cymbalta [Member]
Loss Contingency, Number of Lawsuits				140	140
Loss Contingency, Number of Plaintiffs				1,470	1,470
Product Liability Litigation [Member] | Prozac [Member]
Loss Contingency, Number of Claimants				200	200
Product Liability Litigation [Member] | Actos [Member]
Loss Contingency, Number of Cases				6,500	6,500
Product Liability Litigation [Member] | Damages from Product, Cancer [Member] | Byetta [Member]
Loss Contingency, Number of Lawsuits				470	470
Loss Contingency, Number of Plaintiffs				710	710
Product Liability Litigation [Member] | CANADA | Actos [Member]
Loss Contingency, Number of Cases				4	4
Product Liability Litigation [Member] | ONTARIO | Actos [Member]
Loss Contingency, Number of Cases				2	2
Product Liability Litigation [Member] | QUEBEC | Actos [Member]
Loss Contingency, Number of Cases				1	1
Product Liability Litigation [Member] | ALBERTA | Actos [Member]
Loss Contingency, Number of Cases				1	1
Product Liability Litigation [Member] | CALIFORNIA | Byetta [Member]
Loss Contingency, Number of Lawsuits				85	85
Loss Contingency, Number of Plaintiffs				435	435
Product Liability Litigation [Member] | CALIFORNIA | Cymbalta [Member]
Loss Contingency, Number of Lawsuits				40	40
Product Liability Litigation [Member] | Other states [Member] | Byetta [Member]
Loss Contingency, Number of Lawsuits				5	5
Loss Contingency, Number of Plaintiffs				5	5
Lilly Portion [Member] | Punitive Damages [Member] | Actos [Member]
Loss Contingency, Damages Awarded, Value			$ 9
Takeda Portion [Member] | Punitive Damages [Member] | Actos [Member]
Loss Contingency, Damages Awarded, Value			$ 28
Takeda Portion [Member] | Product Liability Litigation [Member] | Actos [Member]
Litigation Settlement, Amount		$ 2,400
Employee Litigation [Member] | Brazil [Member]
Loss Contingency, Number of Lawsuits				30	30
Loss Contingency, Damages Awarded, Value				$ 310	BRL 1.0