Financial Instruments Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Other selected financial assets
Held-to-maturity debt securities, carried at amortized cost	$ 3,029	[1],[2]	$ 1,587	[1],[2]
Private equity securities, carried at equity method or at cost	1,118	[2],[3]	1,020	[2],[3]
Total	4,147	[2]	2,607	[2]
Total selected financial assets	35,486		35,383
Other financial liabilities
Short-term borrowings, carried at historical proceeds, as adjusted	7,774	[2],[4]	4,016	[2],[4]
Long-term debt, carried at historical proceeds, as adjusted	31,083	[4],[5],[6]	34,926	[4],[5],[6]
Total	38,857	[4]	38,942	[4]
Total selected financial liabilities	40,223	[4]	40,707	[4]
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	31,339	[7],[8]	32,776	[7],[8]
Financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis:
Financial liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	1,366	[8],[9]	1,765	[8],[9]
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Trading securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	141	[10],[8]	154	[10],[8]
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Available For-Sale Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	28,187	[1],[8]	29,179	[1],[8]
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Available-for-sale money market funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	1,429	[11],[8]	1,727	[11],[8]
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Available-for-sale equity securities, excluding money market funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	299	[1],[8]	317	[1],[8]
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Interest rate swaps [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	1,029	[7],[8]	1,033	[7],[8]
Financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis:
Financial liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	29	[8],[9]	14	[8],[9]
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Foreign currency forward-exchange contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	178	[7],[8]	349	[7],[8]
Financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis:
Financial liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	165	[8],[9]	355	[8],[9]
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Foreign Exchange Contract [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Derivative assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	76	[7],[8]	17	[7],[8]
Financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis:
Financial liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	$ 1,172	[8],[9]	$ 1,396	[8],[9]

[1] Gross unrealized gains and losses are not significant.

[2] The differences between the estimated fair values and carrying values of these financial assets and liabilities not measured at fair value on a recurring basis were not significant as of September 30, 2012 or December 31, 2011. Held-to-maturity debt securities and our short-term and long-term debt fair value are based on Level 2 valuations using a market approach. Fair value measurements for private equity securities carried at cost are based on Level 3 valuations using a market approach.

[3] Our private equity securities represent investments in the life sciences sector.

[4] Some carrying amounts may include adjustments for discount or premium amortization or for the effect of interest rate swaps designated as hedges.

[5] Includes foreign currency debt with fair values of $898 million as of September 30, 2012 and $919 million as of December 31, 2011, which are used as hedging instruments.

[6] The fair value of our long-term debt (not including the current portion of long term debt) is $36.5 billion as of September 30, 2012 and $40.1 billion as of December 31, 2011.

[7] Designated as hedging instruments, except for certain foreign currency contracts used as offsets; namely, foreign currency forward-exchange contracts with fair values of $25 million as of September 30, 2012; and foreign currency forward-exchange contracts with fair values of $169 million and interest rate swaps with fair values of $8 million as of December 31, 2011.

[8] We use a market approach in valuing financial instruments on a recurring basis. See also Note 1C. Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies: Fair Value. All of our financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis use Level 2 inputs in the calculation of fair value, except less than 1% that use Level 1 or Level 3 inputs.

[9] Designated as hedging instruments, except for certain foreign currency contracts used as offsets; namely, foreign currency swaps with fair values of $179 million and foreign currency forward-exchange contracts with fair values of $129 million as of September 30, 2012; and foreign currency forward-exchange contracts with fair values of $141 million and foreign currency swaps with fair values of $123 million as of December 31, 2011.

[10] Trading securities are held in trust for legacy business acquisition severance benefits.

[11] Includes approximately $625 million as of December 31, 2011 of money market funds that were released from restriction in the second quarter of 2012 and classified as part of Short-term investments. Such money market funds were held in escrow to secure certain of Wyeth’s payment obligations under its 1999 Nationwide Class Action Settlement Agreement, which relates to litigation against Wyeth concerning its former weight-loss products, Redux and Pondimin. The amount also includes $397 million as of September 30, 2012 and $357 million as of December 31, 2011 of money market funds held in trust in connection with the asbestos litigation involving Quigley Company, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary.