Contingencies (Details)	0 Months Ended					3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended					3 Months Ended	0 Months Ended
	Apr. 16, 2012 D	Feb. 10, 2012 USD ($)	May 24, 2011 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Lorazepam And Clorazepate [Member] USD ($)	Feb. 06, 2008 Lorazepam And Clorazepate [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 01, 2005 Lorazepam And Clorazepate [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Pricing And Medicaid Litigation [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Pricing And Medicaid Litigation [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Product Liabilities [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Product Liabilities [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 Product Liabilities [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 Mylan Specialty [Member] USD ($)	Apr. 11, 2012 Digitek Recall [Member]	Apr. 25, 2008 Digitek Recall [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 EU Commission Proceedings [Member]	Apr. 28, 2011 Other Litigation [Member] USD ($)	Apr. 28, 2011 Other Litigation [Member] EUR (€)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Accrued amount for settlement by Mylan								$ 12,000,000	$ 33,000,000	$ 115,000,000			$ 41,000,000
Judgment amount							69,000,000
Compensation damages in original verdict							11,000,000
Compensatory damages in original verdict plus punitive damages							58,000,000
Surety bond underwritten by third-party insurance company						74,500,000
Irrevocable letter of credit						24,500,000
Settlement payments									82,000,000		6,700,000	15,000,000
Other current liabilities				847,060,000	996,158,000									69,200,000
Damages sought																		24,000,000	17,000,000
Reimbursements sought						8,000,000
Number of plaintiffs to opt out of settlement															5
Number of companies involved in inquiry																	100
Number of cases pending																1,000
Damages awarded		18,000,000
Loss contingency, range of possible loss, maximum		36,000,000
Plantiff bond payment			$ 10,000,000
Injunction period post mandate, days	45