Pension and Postretirement Benefit Plans - Long-term Target Asset Allocations Ranges and the Percentage of the Fair Value of Plan Assets (Detail)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
U.S. Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents, target allocation percentage, minimum	0.00%
Cash and cash equivalents, target allocation percentage, maximum	5.00%
Equity securities, target allocation percentage, minimum	25.00%
Equity securities, target allocation percentage, maximum	50.00%
Debt securities, target allocation percentage, minimum	30.00%
Debt securities, target allocation percentage, maximum	55.00%
Real estate and other investments, target allocation percentage, minimum	10.00%
Real estate and other investments, target allocation percentage, maximum	15.00%
Total target allocation percentage	100.00%
Cash and cash equivalents, percentage of plan assets	17.60%	11.30%
Equity securities, percentage of plan assets	36.00%	42.20%
Debt securities, percentage of plan assets	30.40%	33.60%
Real estate and other investments, percentage of plan assets	16.00%	12.90%
Total, percentage of plan assets	100.00%	100.00%
International Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents, target allocation percentage, minimum	0.00%
Cash and cash equivalents, target allocation percentage, maximum	5.00%
Equity securities, target allocation percentage, minimum	25.00%
Equity securities, target allocation percentage, maximum	50.00%
Debt securities, target allocation percentage, minimum	30.00%
Debt securities, target allocation percentage, maximum	55.00%
Real estate and other investments, target allocation percentage, minimum	10.00%
Real estate and other investments, target allocation percentage, maximum	15.00%
Total target allocation percentage	100.00%
Cash and cash equivalents, percentage of plan assets	4.40%	7.70%
Equity securities, percentage of plan assets	50.00%	49.80%
Debt securities, percentage of plan assets	32.90%	31.60%
Real estate and other investments, percentage of plan assets	12.70%	10.90%
Total, percentage of plan assets	100.00%	100.00%
Postretirement Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents, target allocation percentage, minimum	0.00%
Cash and cash equivalents, target allocation percentage, maximum	5.00%
Equity securities, target allocation percentage, minimum	5.00%
Equity securities, target allocation percentage, maximum	20.00%
Debt securities, target allocation percentage, minimum	5.00%
Debt securities, target allocation percentage, maximum	20.00%
Real estate, insurance contracts and other investments, minimum	65.00%
Real estate, insurance contracts and other investments, maximum	80.00%
Total target allocation percentage	100.00%
Cash and cash equivalents, percentage of plan assets	4.60%	2.90%
Equity securities, percentage of plan assets	9.70%	11.30%
Debt securities, percentage of plan assets	8.10%	8.90%
Real estate, insurance contracts and other investments, percentage of plan assets	77.60%	76.90%
Total, percentage of plan assets	100.00%	100.00%

Target allocation of investments of this type to total plan assets presented on a weighted average basis.

No definition available.

Name:	pfe_DefinedBenefitPlanAssetsTargetAllocationsTotal
Namespace Prefix:	pfe_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage of the fair value of cash and cash equivalents to the fair value of total plan assets held as of the measurement date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pfe_DefinedBenefitPlanCashAndCashEquivalents
Namespace Prefix:	pfe_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The percentage of the fair value of real estate and other investments to the fair value of total plan assets held as of the measurement date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pfe_DefinedBenefitPlanRealEstateAndDefinedBenefitPlanOtherInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	pfe_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The percentage of the fair value of real estate , insurance contracts and other investments to the fair value of total plan assets held as of the measurement date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pfe_DefinedBenefitPlanRealEstateInsuranceContractsAndDefinedBenefitPlanOtherInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	pfe_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Target allocation maximum percentage of investments in cash and cash equivalents to total plan assets presented on a weighted-average basis as of the measurement date of the latest statement of financial position.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pfe_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetAllocationPercentageOfAssetsCashAndCashEquivalentsRangeMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	pfe_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Target allocation minimum percentage of investments in cash and cash equivalents to total plan assets presented on a weighted-average basis as of the measurement date of the latest statement of financial position.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pfe_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetAllocationPercentageOfAssetsCashAndCashEquivalentsRangeMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	pfe_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Target allocation maximum percentage of investments in real estate and other investments, to total plan assets presented on a weighted-average basis as of the measurement date of the latest statement of financial position.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pfe_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetAllocationPercentageOfAssetsRealEstateAndDefinedBenefitPlanTargetAllocationPercentageOfAssetsOtherInvestmentsRangeMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	pfe_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Target allocation minimum percentage of investments in real estate and other investments, to total plan assets presented on a weighted-average basis as of the measurement date of the latest statement of financial position.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pfe_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetAllocationPercentageOfAssetsRealEstateAndDefinedBenefitPlanTargetAllocationPercentageOfAssetsOtherInvestmentsRangeMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	pfe_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Target allocation maximum percentage of investments in real estate , insurance contracts and other investments, to total plan assets presented on a weighted-average basis as of the measurement date of the latest statement of financial position.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pfe_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetAllocationPercentageOfRealEstateInsuranceContractsAndOtherInvestmentsRangeMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	pfe_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Target allocation minimum percentage of investments in real estate , insurance contracts and other investments, to total plan assets presented on a weighted-average basis as of the measurement date of the latest statement of financial position.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pfe_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetAllocationPercentageOfRealEstateInsuranceContractsAndOtherInvestmentsRangeMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	pfe_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage of the fair value of debt securities to the fair value of total plan assets held as of the measurement date.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 132R

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph d(1)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6962843&loc=d3e2446-114920

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (d)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6962843&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanDebtSecurities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanDisclosureLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage of the fair value of equity securities to the fair value of total plan assets held as of the measurement date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanEquitySecurities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Target allocation maximum percentage of investments in debt securities to total plan assets presented on a weighted-average basis as of the measurement date of the latest statement of financial position.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetAllocationPercentageOfAssetsDebtSecuritiesRangeMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Target allocation minimum percentage of investments in debt securities to total plan assets presented on a weighted-average basis as of the measurement date of the latest statement of financial position.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 132R

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph d(2)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph (c)(i)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6962843&loc=d3e2446-114920

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (d)(i)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6962843&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetAllocationPercentageOfAssetsDebtSecuritiesRangeMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Target allocation maximum percentage of investments in equity securities to total plan assets presented on a weighted-average basis as of the measurement date of the latest statement of financial position.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetAllocationPercentageOfAssetsEquitySecuritiesRangeMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Target allocation minimum percentage of investments in equity securities to total plan assets presented on a weighted-average basis as of the measurement date of the latest statement of financial position.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetAllocationPercentageOfAssetsEquitySecuritiesRangeMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate percentage of the fair value of investments (categorized by debt securities, equity securities, real estate and other plan assets) to the fair value of total plan assets held as of the measurement date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant