Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited) (Details) (USD $) Share data in Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended											12 Months Ended				108 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2003	Dec. 31, 2012
Revenues:
Product revenues, net	$ 281,309,000		$ 303,501,000	$ 373,273,000		$ 375,375,000	$ 456,759,000	$ 419,595,000		$ 74,535,000	$ 0	$ 1,333,458,000	$ 950,889,000	$ 0
Royalty revenues	43,451,000		25,586,000	33,480,000		38,981,000	25,405,000	8,539,000		10,010,000	6,061,000	141,498,000	50,015,000	30,244,000
Collaborative revenues	9,234,000		6,919,000	11,552,000		24,381,000	81,176,000	231,066,000		29,879,000	67,601,000	52,086,000	409,722,000	113,126,000
Total revenues	333,994,000		336,006,000	418,305,000		438,737,000	563,340,000	659,200,000		114,424,000	73,662,000	1,527,042,000	1,410,626,000	143,370,000
Costs and expenses:
Cost of product revenues	75,595,000	[1]	30,680,000	104,549,000	[2]	25,918,000	22,936,000	35,285,000		5,404,000	0	236,742,000	63,625,000	0
Royalty expenses	12,120,000		7,856,000	9,874,000		13,293,000	7,191,000	3,121,000		3,902,000	2,666,000	43,143,000	16,880,000	12,730,000
Research and development expenses	213,109,000		200,161,000	196,544,000		196,371,000	186,438,000	189,052,000		173,604,000	158,612,000	806,185,000	707,706,000	637,416,000
Sales, general and administrative expenses	110,452,000		97,684,000	117,514,000		111,146,000	121,881,000	110,654,000		96,663,000	71,523,000	436,796,000	400,721,000	187,800,000
Restructuring expense (credit)	194,000		696,000	594,000		360,000	992,000	(419,000)		741,000	760,000	1,844,000	2,074,000	1,501,000	91,824,000	62,479,000
Intangible asset impairment charge	0		0	0		0	0	105,800,000	[3]	0	0	0	105,800,000	0
Total costs and expenses	411,470,000		337,077,000	429,075,000		347,088,000	339,438,000	443,493,000		280,314,000	233,561,000	1,524,710,000	1,296,806,000	839,447,000
Income (loss) from operations	(77,476,000)		(1,071,000)	(10,770,000)		91,649,000	223,902,000	215,707,000		(165,890,000)	(159,899,000)	2,332,000	113,820,000	(696,077,000)
Interest income	497,000		519,000	560,000		364,000	197,000	77,000		202,000	1,402,000	1,940,000	1,878,000	1,955,000
Interest expense	(3,793,000)		(4,560,000)	(4,195,000)		(4,105,000)	(12,430,000)	(7,059,000)		(6,962,000)	(12,001,000)	(16,653,000)	(38,452,000)	(19,275,000)
Change in fair value of derivative instruments	0		0	0		0	(868,000)	(8,115,000)		(2,220,000)	(5,598,000)	0	(16,801,000)	(41,229,000)
Income (loss) before provision for (benefit from) income taxes	(80,772,000)		(5,112,000)	(14,405,000)		87,908,000	210,801,000	200,610,000		(174,870,000)	(176,096,000)	(12,381,000)	60,445,000	(754,626,000)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	(2,696,000)		21,355,000	20,063,000		32,000	22,660,000	(27,842,000)	[3]	24,448,000	0	38,754,000	19,266,000	0
Net income (loss)	(78,076,000)		(26,467,000)	(34,468,000)		87,876,000	188,141,000	228,452,000		(199,318,000)	(176,096,000)	(51,135,000)	41,179,000	(754,626,000)
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling Interest (Alios)	1,928,000		(31,076,000)	(30,463,000)		3,714,000	(29,512,000)	(7,342,000)		25,249,000	0	(55,897,000)	(11,605,000)	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Vertex	(76,148,000)		(57,543,000)	(64,931,000)		91,590,000	158,629,000	221,110,000		(174,069,000)	(176,096,000)	(107,032,000)	29,574,000	(754,626,000)
Net income (loss) per share attributable to Vertex common shareholders:
Basic	$ (0.35)		$ (0.27)	$ (0.31)		$ 0.44	$ 0.76	$ 1.06		$ (0.85)	$ (0.87)	$ (0.50)	$ 0.14	$ (3.77)
Diluted	$ (0.35)		$ (0.27)	$ (0.31)		$ 0.43	$ 0.74	$ 1.02		$ (0.85)	$ (0.87)	$ (0.50)	$ 0.14	$ (3.77)
Shares used in per share calculations:
Basic	214,607		213,767	211,344		208,018	206,758	206,002		204,413	202,329	211,946	204,891	200,402
Diluted	214,607		213,767	211,344		219,264	217,602	219,349		204,413	202,329	211,946	208,807	200,402
Write-downs of inventories to net realizable value	55,200,000			78,000,000								133,189,000	0	0
Write-down of inventories effect on net income (loss) per share	$ (0.25)			$ (0.36)								$ (0.61)
Change in deferred income taxes								32,700,000
Asset Impairment Charges								$ 73,100,000

[1] During the fourth quarter of 2012, the Company recorded within cost of product revenues a lower of cost or market charge of $55.2 million for excess and obsolete INCIVEK inventories. This charge resulted in a $0.25 increase in the net loss attributable to Vertex per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2012. See Note F, "Inventories," for further information.

[2] During the second quarter of 2012, the Company recorded within cost of product revenues a lower of cost or market charge of $78.0 million for excess and obsolete INCIVEK inventories. This charge affected net income (loss) attributable to Vertex per diluted share, net of tax, by $(0.36) for the second quarter of 2012, resulting in a net loss attributable to Vertex per diluted share in the second quarter of 2012. See Note F, "Inventories," for further information.

[3] During the third quarter of 2011, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $105.8 million. In connection with this impairment charge, the Company recorded a benefit from income taxes of $32.7 million resulting in a net decrease in net income attributable to Vertex related to this impairment charge of $73.1 million in the third quarter of 2011.