Segment Information (Schedule Of Total Revenues Of Top Selling Products) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012		Mar. 31, 2011
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 271,472		$ 232,952
Maximum percentage revenue of other products compared to generic products	3.00%		3.00%
Par Pharmaceutical [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	251,167		209,745
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Metoprolol Succinate ER (Toprol-XL) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	61,765		63,418
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Budesonide (Entocort EC) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	37,984
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Propafenone (Rythmol SR) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	19,092		22,039
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Sumatriptan Succinate Injection (Imitrex) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	16,700		16,699
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Chlorpheniramine/Hydrocodone (Tussionex) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	13,957		12,679
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Bupropion ER (Wellbutrin) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	11,354
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Dronabinol (Marinol) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	7,603		6,871
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Zolpidem (Ambien CR) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	6,921
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Tramadol ER (Ultracet ER) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	5,829		6,081
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Cholestyramine Powder (Questran) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	4,652		3,683
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Meclizine Hydrochloride (Antivert) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	4,186		4,875
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Nateglinide (Starlix) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	4,024		4,306
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Amlodipine And Benazepril HCI (Lotrel) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	2,448		18,171
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Clonidine TDS (Catapres TTS) [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	(991)		5,806
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Other [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	50,250	[1]	37,228	[1]
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Other Product Related Revenues [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	5,393	[2]	7,889	[2]
Par Pharmaceutical [Member] | Total Par Pharmaceutical Revenues [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	251,167		209,745
Strativa [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	20,305		23,207
Strativa [Member] | Other Product Related Revenues [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	1,956	[2]	4,274	[2]
Strativa [Member] | Megace ES [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	12,178		14,085
Strativa [Member] | Nascobal Nasal Spray [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	5,931		3,878
Strativa [Member] | Oravig [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	155		749
Strativa [Member] | Zuplenz [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	85		221
Strativa [Member] | Total Strativa Revenues [Member]
Revenue, Major Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 20,305		$ 23,207

[1] No single product in the other category is in excess of 3% of total generic revenues for the three-month period ended March 31, 2012 or for the three-month period ended March 31, 2011.

[2] Other product related revenues represents licensing and royalty related revenues from profit sharing agreements related to products such as 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 primarily to Strativa's share of the proceeds from Optimer Pharmaceuticals' sale of certain rights in fidaxomicin to a third party.