Collaborative Arrangements (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended					1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		16 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011		Jun. 30, 2006 Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V. Y	Sep. 30, 2012 Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V.	Sep. 30, 2011 Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V.	Mar. 31, 2011 Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V.	Sep. 30, 2012 Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V.	Sep. 30, 2011 Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V.	Dec. 31, 2006 Janssen Pharmaceutica, N.V.	Apr. 30, 2012 Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation	Sep. 30, 2011 Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation	Sep. 30, 2009 Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation D	Sep. 30, 2012 Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation	Sep. 30, 2011 Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation	Dec. 31, 2011 Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation	Apr. 30, 2011 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Incorporated payments Y	Sep. 30, 2012 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Incorporated	Sep. 30, 2011 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Incorporated	Sep. 30, 2012 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Incorporated payments	Sep. 30, 2011 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Incorporated	Dec. 31, 2006 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Incorporated	Jun. 30, 2011 Alios BioPharma, Inc D Y	Sep. 30, 2012 Alios BioPharma, Inc lines	Sep. 30, 2011 Alios BioPharma, Inc lines	Sep. 30, 2012 Alios BioPharma, Inc lines	Sep. 30, 2011 Alios BioPharma, Inc lines	Sep. 30, 2012 Alios BioPharma, Inc lines	Dec. 31, 2011 Alios BioPharma, Inc
Collaborative Arrangements
Research and development expense associated with collaborative programs	$ 32,000,000		$ 45,000,000	$ 99,000,000		$ 110,000,000
Schedule of Collaborative Arrangements
Drug development costs to be paid by collaborator (as a percent)													50.00%		50.00%
Tiered royalty average range, as a percentage of net sales in the Janssen territories															mid-20% range
Up-front license payment															165,000,000
Deferred revenue remaining related to up-front license payment										46,600,000			46,600,000
Total contingent milestone payments earned													350,000,000
Milestone payment earned pursuant to the collaborative agreement											200,000,000	50,000,000
Notice period required to terminate without cause (in years)									1
License fee paid upon amendment of agreement																		105,000,000
Notice period required to terminate without cause (in days)																		60
Collaborative revenues recognized
Royalty revenues	25,586,000		8,539,000	98,047,000		24,610,000				19,957,000	1,276,000		80,811,000	3,825,000
Collaborative revenues
Amortized portion of up-front payment										3,107,000	3,107,000		9,321,000	9,321,000			9,558,000		12,744,000	28,674,000
Milestone revenues											200,000,000			250,000,000			1,758,000		485,000	3,152,000									25,000,000		25,000,000		60,000,000
Net payment for telaprevir development costs										(503,000)	(2,557,000)		(2,569,000)	(6,810,000)
Payments for manufacturing services											7,170,000		4,449,000	20,383,000			8,184,000		5,650,000	14,032,000
Total collaborative revenues attributable to the collaboration	6,919,000		231,066,000	42,852,000		328,546,000				2,604,000	207,720,000		11,201,000	272,894,000			19,500,000		18,879,000	45,858,000			4,300,000	3,800,000	12,800,000	9,800,000
Total revenues	336,006,000		659,200,000	1,193,048,000		847,286,000				22,561,000	208,996,000		92,012,000	276,719,000
Recognized revenues from the up-front payment																3,200,000
Collaborative funding																						75,000,000
Number of years over which funding will be made																						5
Milestone payment received																					65,000,000						1,500,000
Collaborative revenues	6,919,000		231,066,000	42,852,000		328,546,000				2,604,000	207,720,000		11,201,000	272,894,000			19,500,000		18,879,000	45,858,000			4,300,000	3,800,000	12,800,000	9,800,000
Number of commercial milestone payment for achievement of certain sales levels of KALYDECO																									1
Number of commercial milestone payments for achievement of certain sales levels for corrector compound such as VX-809 or VX-661																						2
Development milestone payments eligible to receive, maximum																															312,500,000
Research and development expenses	200,161,000		189,052,000	593,076,000		521,268,000
Commercial milestone payments, maximum																												750,000,000
Notice period for termination of contract due to technical failure (in days)																												30
Notice period for termination of contract after completion of clinical trials (in days)																												60
Latest expiration period for royalty obligation after first commercial sale in country unless contract is terminated earlier (in years)																												10
Up-front payment																												60,000,000
Deferred tax liability	279,466,000	[1]		279,466,000	[1]		243,707,000	[1]																					151,880,000		151,880,000		151,880,000	116,121,000
Noncontrolling Interest (Alios)
Number of lines on balance sheet where noncontrolling interest is reported																													2	2	2	2	2
Loss (income) before provision for income taxes																													5,090,000	5,258,000	14,581,000	6,059,000
Decrease (increase) in fair value of contingent milestone and royalty payments																													(57,560,000)	(17,450,000)	(112,760,000)	(17,450,000)
Provision for income taxes	21,355,000		(27,842,000)	41,450,000		(3,394,000)																							21,394,000	4,850,000	40,354,000	29,298,000
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest (Alios)	(31,076,000)		(7,342,000)	(57,825,000)		17,907,000																							(31,076,000)	(7,342,000)	(57,825,000)	17,907,000
Restricted cash and cash equivalents (Alios)	74,954,000	[1]		74,954,000	[1]		51,878,000	[1]																					74,954,000		74,954,000		74,954,000	51,878,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	35,123,000	[1]		35,123,000	[1]		14,889,000	[1]																					1,642,000		1,642,000		1,642,000	2,299,000
Property and equipment, net	124,148,000	[1]		124,148,000	[1]		78,106,000	[1]																					1,754,000		1,754,000		1,754,000	1,925,000
Intangible assets	663,500,000	[1]		663,500,000	[1]		663,500,000	[1]																					250,600,000		250,600,000		250,600,000	250,600,000
Goodwill	30,992,000	[1]		30,992,000	[1]		30,992,000	[1]																					4,890,000		4,890,000		4,890,000	4,890,000
Other assets	10,393,000	[1]		10,393,000	[1]		11,268,000	[1]																					153,000		153,000		153,000	133,000
Accounts payable	83,732,000	[1]		83,732,000	[1]		74,642,000	[1]																					1,616,000		1,616,000		1,616,000	4,132,000
Accrued expenses	273,285,000	[1]		273,285,000	[1]		255,662,000	[1]																					4,983,000		4,983,000		4,983,000	4,304,000
Income taxes payable (Alios)	3,871,000	[1]		3,871,000	[1]		12,075,000	[1]																					3,871,000		3,871,000		3,871,000	12,075,000
Other liabilities, excluding current portion	28,739,000	[1]		28,739,000	[1]		7,287,000	[1]																					1,174,000		1,174,000		1,174,000	1,030,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interest (Alios)	38,299,000	[1]		38,299,000	[1]		37,036,000	[1]																					38,299,000		38,299,000		38,299,000	37,036,000
Noncontrolling interest (Alios)	$ 198,714,000	[1]		$ 198,714,000	[1]		$ 141,633,000	[1]																					$ 198,714,000		$ 198,714,000		$ 198,714,000	$ 141,633,000

[1] Amounts include the assets and liabilities of Vertex's variable interest entity ("VIE"), Alios BioPharma, Inc. ("Alios"). Vertex's interests and obligations with respect to the VIE's assets and liabilities are limited to those accorded to Vertex in its agreement with Alios. See Note C, "Collaborative Arrangements," to these condensed consolidated financial statements for amounts.