Contingencies (Details) $ in Millions, BRL in Billions	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 BRL
Actos [Member] \| Product Liability Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingency, Number of Cases		6,500	6,500
Cymbalta [Member] \| Product Liability Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingency, Number of Lawsuits		140	140
Loss Contingency, Number of Plaintiffs		1,470	1,470
Compensatory Damages [Member] \| Actos [Member]
Litigation Settlement, Amount	$ 2,400
CANADA \| Actos [Member] \| Product Liability Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingency, Number of Cases		4	4
CALIFORNIA \| Cymbalta [Member] \| Product Liability Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingency, Number of Lawsuits		40	40
Brazil [Member] \| Employee Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingency, Damages Awarded, Value		$ 305	BRL 1.0
Loss Contingency, Number of Lawsuits		30	30
ONTARIO \| Actos [Member] \| Product Liability Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingency, Number of Cases		2	2
QUEBEC \| Actos [Member] \| Product Liability Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingency, Number of Cases		1	1
ALBERTA \| Actos [Member] \| Product Liability Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingency, Number of Cases		1	1

The number of cases pursuant to a particular litigation or loss contingency.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Number of lawsuits in a particular litigation or loss contingency.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	lly_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of judgment or settlement awarded to (against) the entity in respect of litigation.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of damages awarded to the plaintiff in the legal matter.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14326-108349

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14435-108349

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14557-108349

+ Details

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- Definition

Number of plaintiffs that have filed claims pertaining to a loss contingency.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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