OTHER EXPENSES (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Impairment [Line Items]
Impairment of intangible assets	$ 3,238,000,000	$ 589,000,000	$ 265,000,000
Impairment charge during the year on property, plant and equipment	544,000,000	149,000,000	96,000,000
Business Combination Contingent Consideration Arrangements Change In Amount O fContingent Consideration Liability	154,000,000	83,000,000	399,000,000
Impairment of long-lived assets	3,782,000,000	746,000,000	361,000,000
Contingent Consideration	(40,000,000)
Acquisition costs	105,000,000	261,000,000	221,000,000
Other expenses	102,000,000	84,000,000	12,000,000
Restructuring	535,000,000	245,000,000	183,000,000
Total	5,074,000,000	1,419,000,000	1,176,000,000
Venezuela Deconsolidation Charge	396,000,000	0	0
Restructuring Plan Cost Reduction	3,000,000,000
Estimated Base Costs And Expenses	$ 16,100,000,000
Positions Reduction	14000
Other Asset Impairments, restructuring and other items	$ 5,074,000,000	1,419,000,000	1,176,000,000
Asset Impairment Charges longlived Assets	3,800,000,000	589,000,000	265,000,000
Share in profits (losses) of associated companies net	(3,000,000)	8,000,000	$ (121,000,000)
Impairments Restructuring And Others2	5,100,000,000
Identifiable Ipr And D [Member]
Impairment [Line Items]
Assets Impairment Charges	1,600,000,000
Products Acquired From Actavis [Member]
Impairment [Line Items]
Assets Impairment Charges	838,000,000
Discontinued Actavis Products [Member]
Impairment [Line Items]
Assets Impairment Charges	390,000,000
Discontinued Rimsa Projects [Member]
Impairment [Line Items]
Assets Impairment Charges	153,000,000
Discontinued Specialty Products [Member]
Impairment [Line Items]
Assets Impairment Charges	188,000,000
Product Rights [Member]
Impairment [Line Items]
Assets Impairment Charges	1,600,000,000
Actavis Us Product Rights Revaluation [Member]
Impairment [Line Items]
Assets Impairment Charges	583,000,000
Teva Takeda Product Rights [Member]
Impairment [Line Items]
Assets Impairment Charges	523,000,000
Actavis Eu And Row Product Rights [Member]
Impairment [Line Items]
Assets Impairment Charges	390,000,000
Actavis Us Product Rights Termination [Member]
Impairment [Line Items]
Assets Impairment Charges	47,000,000
Pp And E [Member]
Impairment [Line Items]
Restructuring	382,000,000
Pp And E Jerusalem [Member]
Impairment [Line Items]
Restructuring	156,000,000
Pp And E Pr Nj And Canada [Member]
Impairment [Line Items]
Restructuring	144,000,000
Pp And E Godollo [Member]
Impairment [Line Items]
Restructuring	69,000,000	$ 80,000,000
Pp And E Japan [Member]
Impairment [Line Items]
Restructuring	62,000,000
Pp And E Raanana [Member]
Impairment [Line Items]
Assets Impairment Charges	42,000,000
Expenses Related To Bendeka [Member]
Impairment [Line Items]
Business Combination Contingent Consideration Arrangements Change In Amount O fContingent Consideration Liability	178,000,000
Expenses Related To Lama Laba [Member]
Impairment [Line Items]
Business Combination Contingent Consideration Arrangements Change In Amount O fContingent Consideration Liability	$ 89,000,000