Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Revenues:
Product revenues, net	$ 870,106	$ 784,535	$ 752,157	$ 640,799	$ 651,634	$ 578,165	$ 544,135	$ 714,718	$ 3,047,597	$ 2,488,652	$ 1,702,177
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales	122,289	111,255	104,382	71,613	84,052	72,874	71,205	46,988	409,539	275,119	210,460
Research and development expenses	437,881	330,510	337,532	310,553	306,664	454,947	289,451	273,563	1,416,476	1,324,625	1,047,690
Sales, general and administrative expenses	153,210	137,295	137,303	129,808	134,794	120,710	127,249	113,326	557,616	496,079	432,829
Restructuring (income) expenses	4	(174)	62	(76)	387	337	3,523	9,999	(184)	14,246	1,262
Intangible asset impairment charges	29,000	0	0	0	0	255,340	0	0	29,000	255,340	0
Total costs and expenses	742,384	578,886	579,279	511,898	525,897	904,208	491,428	443,876	2,412,447	2,365,409	1,692,241
Income from operations	127,722	205,649	172,878	128,901	125,737	(326,043)	52,707	270,842	635,150	123,243	9,936
Interest expense, net	(4,773)	(8,143)	(10,106)	(11,097)	(12,547)	(13,574)	(14,664)	(16,765)	(34,119)	(57,550)	(81,432)
Other (expense) income, net	(90,452)	(60,995)	53,819	96,838	(748)	(77,553)	(2,537)	(544)	(790)	(81,382)	4,130
Income (loss) before (benefit from) provision for income taxes	32,497	136,511	216,591	214,642	112,442	(417,170)	35,506	253,533	600,241	(15,689)	(67,366)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	(1,492,599)	8,055	10,341	(12,659)	10,257	(125,903)	4,337	3,985	(1,486,862)	(107,324)	16,665
Net income (loss)	1,525,096	128,456	206,250	227,301	102,185	(291,267)	31,169	249,548	2,087,103	91,635	(84,031)
Loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest	25,431	290	1,110	(17,038)	(1,501)	188,315	(13,173)	(1,792)	9,793	171,849	(28,021)
Net income (loss) attributable to Vertex common shareholders	$ 1,550,527	$ 128,746	$ 207,360	$ 210,263	$ 100,684	$ (102,952)	$ 17,996	$ 247,756	$ 2,096,896	$ 263,484	$ (112,052)
Net income:
Basic (usd per share)	$ 6.08	$ 0.51	$ 0.82	$ 0.83	$ 0.40	$ (0.41)	$ 0.07	$ 1.01	$ 8.24	$ 1.06	$ (0.46)
Diluted (usd per share)	$ 5.97	$ 0.50	$ 0.80	$ 0.81	$ 0.39	$ (0.41)	$ 0.07	$ 0.99	$ 8.09	$ 1.04	$ (0.46)
Shares used in per share calculations:
Basic (in shares)	254,868	254,905	254,135	253,231	251,557	250,268	247,521	246,024	254,292	248,858	244,685
Diluted (in shares)	259,812	259,788	258,584	258,526	256,804	250,268	251,635	248,700	259,185	253,225	244,685
Product revenues, net
Revenues:
Product revenues, net	$ 868,173	$ 782,511	$ 749,912	$ 637,729	$ 621,228	$ 549,642	$ 513,988	$ 480,622	$ 3,038,325	$ 2,165,480	$ 1,683,632
Collaborative and royalty revenues
Revenues:
Product revenues, net	$ 1,933	$ 2,024	$ 2,245	$ 3,070	$ 30,406	$ 28,523	$ 30,147	$ 234,096	$ 9,272	$ 323,172	$ 18,545