Segment Information (Schedule Of Total Revenues Of Top Selling Products) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2009
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 926,138		$ 1,008,874		$ 1,193,159
Total Par Pharmaceutical Revenues [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	834,592		916,930		1,104,295
Par Pharmaceutical [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	834,592		916,930		1,104,295
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Metoprolol Succinate ER (Toprol-XL) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	250,995		473,206		742,697
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Budesonide (Entocort EC) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	70,016
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Propafenone (Rythmol SR) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	69,835
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Sumatriptan Succinate Injection (Imitrex) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	64,068		72,984		72,319
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Chlorpheniramine/Hydrocodone (Tussionex) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	39,481		17,479
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Amlodipine And Benazepril HCI (Lotrel) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	37,310
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Dronabinol (Marinol) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	29,880		27,232		24,997
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Tramadol ER (Ultracet ER) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	24,980		22,640		5,520
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Meclizine Hydrochloride (Antivert) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	17,184		31,216		38,851
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Cholestyramine Powder (Questran) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	16,144		16,007		13,092
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Nateglinide (Starlix) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	15,157		15,287		7,001
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Omeprazole (Zegerid) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	14,926		18,476
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Cabergoline (Dostinex) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	12,186		12,487		12,895
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Megestrol Oral Suspension (Megace) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	11,959		12,556		11,830
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Methimazole (Tapazole) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	8,756		10,649		10,062
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Clonidine TDS (Catapres TTS) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	4,094		61,272		33,747
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Propranolol HCl ER (Inderal LA) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	154		5,870		12,473
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Other [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	117,490	[1]	103,326	[1]	112,079	[1]
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Other Product Related Revenues [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	29,977	[2]	16,243	[2]	6,732	[2]
Strativa [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	91,546		91,944		88,864
Strativa [Member] | Other Product Related Revenues [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	8,666	[2]	12,000	[2]	10,000	[2]
Strativa [Member] | Megace ES [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	58,172		60,879		68,703
Strativa [Member] | Nascobal Nasal Spray [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	21,399	[3]	17,715	[3]	10,161	[3]
Strativa [Member] | Oravig [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	2,434		1,137
Strativa [Member] | Zuplenz [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	875		213
Strativa [Member] | Total Strativa Revenues [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 91,546		$ 91,944		$ 88,864

[1] The further detailing of revenues of the other approximately 35 generic drugs is impracticable due to the low volume of revenues associated with each of these generic products. No single product in the other category is in excess of 3% of total generic revenues for any year in the three-year period ended December 31, 2011.

[2] Other product related revenues represents licensing and royalty related revenues from profit sharing agreements related to products such as doxycycline monohydrate, the generic version of Adoxa®, diazepam rectal gel, the generic version of Diastat®, and fenofibrate, the generic version of Tricor®. Other product related revenues included in the Strativa segment relate to a co-promotion arrangement with Solvay for Androgel®, and the $2 million termination payment associated with the discontinuation of the co-promotion arrangement with Solvay in December 2010. On January 30, 2009, the FTC filed a lawsuit against us in the U.S. District Court for the District of Central California alleging violations of antitrust laws stemming from our court-approved settlement in the patent litigation with Unimed and Besins (see "Legal Proceedings" in Note 17, "Commitments, Contingencies and Other Matters").

[3] Refer to Note 21, "2009 Acquisitions."