Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Revenues:
Product revenues, net	$ 406,550	$ 302,511	$ 160,388	$ 130,875	$ 124,942	$ 137,099	$ 122,319	$ 103,461	$ 1,000,324	$ 487,821	$ 837,645
Royalty revenues	6,331	5,759	5,077	6,792	8,785	8,386	13,015	10,733	23,959	40,919	156,592
Collaborative revenues	5,054	1,546	611	842	10,829	33,502	3,087	4,257	8,053	51,675	217,738
Total revenues	417,935	309,816	166,076	138,509	144,556	178,987	138,421	118,451	1,032,336	580,415	1,211,975
Costs and expenses:
Cost of product revenues	62,092	30,269	15,409	9,381	11,290	10,208	9,655	8,572	117,151	39,725	88,979
Royalty expenses	1,293	1,691	1,451	2,926	2,737	3,976	7,645	6,904	7,361	21,262	41,298
Research and development expenses	310,181	246,284	223,858	215,599	201,463	190,939	224,487	238,617	995,922	855,506	882,097
Sales, general and administrative expenses	96,549	99,772	94,394	85,860	78,527	75,224	77,446	74,212	376,575	305,409	356,188
Restructuring expenses	1,524	1,826	2,128	(3,272)	4,164	40,843	(270)	6,188	2,206	50,925	40,521
Total costs and expenses	471,639	379,842	337,240	310,494	298,181	321,190	318,963	334,493	1,499,215	1,272,827	1,821,983
Loss from operations	(53,704)	(70,026)	(171,164)	(171,985)	(153,625)	(142,203)	(180,542)	(216,042)	(466,879)	(692,412)	(610,008)
Interest expense, net	(20,654)	(21,134)	(21,111)	(21,307)	(21,177)	(20,384)	(15,585)	(15,717)	(84,206)	(72,863)	(22,926)
Other (expense) income, net	(1,690)	(1,326)	1,414	(5,113)	(3,792)	(3,990)	37,731	451	(6,715)	30,400	6,890
Loss from continuing operations before provision for (benefit from) income taxes	(76,048)	(92,486)	(190,861)	(198,405)	(178,594)	(166,577)	(158,396)	(231,308)	(557,800)	(734,875)	(626,044)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	(1,379)	1,330	30,131	299	2,043	3,419	693	803	30,381	6,958	(122,422)
Loss from continuing operations					(180,637)	(169,996)	(159,089)	(232,111)	(588,181)	(741,833)	(503,622)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax benefit					(209)	(64)	(293)	(346)	0	(912)	(183,928)
Net loss	(74,669)	(93,816)	(220,992)	(198,704)	(180,846)	(170,060)	(159,382)	(232,457)	(588,181)	(742,745)	(687,550)
Loss attributable to noncontrolling interest					4,190	0	0	0	0	0	(242,522)
Loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest	938	(1,333)	32,144	98
Net loss attributable to Vertex	$ (73,731)	$ (95,149)	$ (188,848)	$ (198,606)	(176,656)	(170,060)	(159,382)	(232,457)	(556,334)	(738,555)	(445,028)
Loss from continuing operations					(176,447)	(169,996)	(159,089)	(232,111)	(556,334)	(737,643)	(503,622)
(Loss) income from discontinued operations					$ (209)	$ (64)	$ (293)	$ (346)	0	(912)	58,594
Net loss from continuing operations:
Basic and diluted (usd per share)					$ (0.74)	$ (0.72)	$ (0.68)	$ (1.00)
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations:
Basic and diluted (usd per share)					0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Basic and diluted (usd per share)	$ (0.30)	$ (0.39)	$ (0.78)	$ (0.83)	$ (0.74)	$ (0.72)	$ (0.68)	$ (1.00)
Shares used in per share calculations:
Basic and diluted (in shares)	242,987	241,969	240,757	239,493	238,272	236,137	233,808	232,887
Janssen
Revenues:
Royalty revenues									1,518	13,481	130,724
Collaborative revenues									1,946	7,104	203,437
Total revenues									$ 3,464	$ 20,585	$ 334,161