SEGMENT INFORMATION (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012 item	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
SEGMENT INFORMATION
Number of new countries in which entity operates	5
Number of reportable segments	4
Segment reporting information
Revenues	$ 3,546,626,000	$ 2,463,450,000	$ 1,181,237,000
Segment profit (loss)	882,291,000	720,652,000	366,666,000
Restructuring, integration and other costs	(344,387,000)	(97,667,000)	(140,840,000)
In-process research and development impairments and other charges	(189,901,000)	(109,200,000)	(89,245,000)
Acquisition-related costs	(78,604,000)	(32,964,000)	(38,262,000)
Legal settlements	(56,779,000)	(11,841,000)	(52,610,000)
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	5,266,000	10,986,000
Operating income (loss)	79,685,000	299,959,000	(110,085,000)
Interest income	5,986,000	4,084,000	1,294,000
Interest expense	(473,396,000)	(333,041,000)	(84,307,000)
Write-down of deferred financing charges	(8,200,000)	(1,485,000)	(5,774,000)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(20,080,000)	(36,844,000)	(32,413,000)
Foreign exchange and other	19,721,000	26,551,000	574,000
Gain (loss) on investments, net	2,056,000	22,776,000	(5,552,000)
Loss before recovery of income taxes	(394,228,000)	(18,000,000)	(236,263,000)
Stock-based compensation expense	66,236,000	94,023,000	98,033,000
Total assets	17,950,379,000	13,108,119,000	10,795,117,000
Identifiable intangible assets	9,308,669,000	7,641,478,000
Goodwill	5,141,366,000	3,581,512,000	3,001,376,000
Capital Expenditures, and Depreciation and Amortization
Total capital expenditures	107,638,000	58,515,000	16,823,000
Total depreciation and amortization	986,222,000	612,603,000	254,504,000
Impairment charges related to the discontinuation of certain products in the Brazilian and Polish markets	13,300,000
Suncare and skincare brands
Capital Expenditures, and Depreciation and Amortization
Impairment charges on intangible assets	31,300,000
Dermaglow
Capital Expenditures, and Depreciation and Amortization
Impairment charges on intangible assets	18,700,000
Clindamycin and benzoyl peroxide gel ("IDP-111")
Capital Expenditures, and Depreciation and Amortization
Impairment charges on intangible assets		7,900,000
Fluorouracil cream ("5-FU")
Capital Expenditures, and Depreciation and Amortization
Impairment charges on intangible assets		19,800,000
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant")
Segment reporting information
Stock-based compensation expense		58,600,000	37,100,000
U.S. Dermatology
Segment reporting information
Revenues	1,158,600,000	575,798,000	220,667,000
Segment profit (loss)	444,545,000	182,888,000	46,209,000
Total assets	6,899,386,000	3,042,741,000	1,875,621,000
Goodwill	1,958,036,000	491,651,000	481,441,000
Capital Expenditures, and Depreciation and Amortization
Total capital expenditures	5,080,000	1,401,000	652,000
Total depreciation and amortization	277,124,000	181,958,000	36,897,000
Impact of adjustments related to provisional fair value adjustment to identifiable intangible assets	178,000,000	55,000,000	19,100,000
U.S. Dermatology | Dermik, Ortho Dermatologics, OraPharma, Medicis and University Medical
Segment reporting information
Revenues	492,300,000
U.S. Dermatology | Valeant, Elidel and Xerese, Dermik and Ortho Dermatologics
Segment reporting information
Revenues		194,600,000
U.S. Dermatology | Dermik, Ortho Dermatologics, OraPharma and Medicis
Segment reporting information
Segment profit (loss)	221,000,000
U.S. Dermatology | Valeant, Dermik and Ortho Dermatologics operations
Segment reporting information
Segment profit (loss)		64,500,000
U.S. Dermatology | Dermik and Ortho Dermatologics
Segment reporting information
Identifiable intangible assets		675,300,000
Goodwill		11,600,000
U.S. Dermatology | Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant")
Segment reporting information
Identifiable intangible assets and goodwill		1,503,100,000	1,665,100,000
U.S. Dermatology | Medicis, J&J ROW, OraPharma, QLT, J&J North America, and University Medical
Segment reporting information
Identifiable intangible assets	2,242,800,000
Goodwill	1,460,900,000
U.S. Neurology and Other
Segment reporting information
Revenues	793,503,000	821,789,000	656,653,000
Segment profit (loss)	274,154,000	417,514,000	252,657,000
Total assets	4,313,272,000	4,404,230,000	4,978,323,000
Goodwill	1,542,203,000	1,542,203,000	1,354,955,000
Capital Expenditures, and Depreciation and Amortization
Total capital expenditures	1,735,000	233,000	8,080,000
Total depreciation and amortization	313,868,000	213,028,000	170,500,000
Impact of adjustments related to provisional fair value adjustment to identifiable intangible assets	167,500,000	29,100,000	14,100,000
U.S. Neurology and Other | Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant")
Segment reporting information
Identifiable intangible assets and goodwill		3,367,800,000	3,604,800,000
Canada and Australia
Segment reporting information
Revenues	544,128,000	340,240,000	161,568,000
Segment profit (loss)	46,433,000	105,335,000	51,043,000
Total assets	1,646,441,000	1,705,588,000	1,120,027,000
Goodwill	488,556,000	492,999,000	398,815,000
Capital Expenditures, and Depreciation and Amortization
Total capital expenditures	5,196,000	2,066,000	804,000
Total depreciation and amortization	163,676,000	52,375,000	14,791,000
Impact of adjustments related to provisional fair value adjustment to identifiable intangible assets	85,000,000	32,200,000	6,700,000
Canada and Australia | Valeant and Afexa
Segment reporting information
Revenues		155,900,000
Canada and Australia | iNova, Dermik and Afexa
Segment reporting information
Revenues	172,200,000
Segment profit (loss)	117,900,000
Canada and Australia | Valeant, Afexa, iNova and Dermik operations
Segment reporting information
Segment profit (loss)		41,800,000
Canada and Australia | Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant")
Segment reporting information
Identifiable intangible assets and goodwill		759,600,000	945,100,000
Canada and Australia | iNova and Afexa
Segment reporting information
Identifiable intangible assets		504,600,000
Goodwill		214,900,000
Emerging Markets
Segment reporting information
Revenues	1,050,395,000	725,623,000	142,349,000
Segment profit (loss)	117,159,000	14,915,000	16,757,000
Total assets	4,056,666,000	3,289,249,000	2,298,815,000
Goodwill	1,152,571,000	1,054,659,000	766,165,000
Capital Expenditures, and Depreciation and Amortization
Total capital expenditures	61,866,000	33,989,000	6,094,000
Total depreciation and amortization	224,984,000	159,098,000	25,198,000
Number of manufacturing facilities constructed	2
Impact of adjustments related to provisional fair value adjustment to identifiable intangible assets	177,500,000	106,000,000	18,800,000
Emerging Markets | PharmaSwiss, Sanitas, iNova and Gerot Lannach operations
Segment reporting information
Segment profit (loss)	180,500,000
Emerging Markets | Valeant, PharmaSwiss and Sanitas
Segment reporting information
Revenues		564,700,000
Segment profit (loss)		136,800,000
Emerging Markets | Probiotica, J&J ROW, Atlantis and Gerot Lannach
Segment reporting information
Identifiable intangible assets	303,600,000
Goodwill	47,500,000
Emerging Markets | PharmaSwiss, Sanitas, iNova, Probiotica, and Gerot Lannach
Segment reporting information
Revenues	322,900,000
Emerging Markets | Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant")
Segment reporting information
Identifiable intangible assets and goodwill		1,602,300,000	1,882,100,000
Emerging Markets | PharmaSwiss and Sanitas
Segment reporting information
Identifiable intangible assets		456,300,000
Goodwill		364,500,000
Total Segment
Segment reporting information
Total assets	16,915,765,000	12,441,808,000	10,272,786,000
Capital Expenditures, and Depreciation and Amortization
Total capital expenditures	73,877,000	37,689,000	15,630,000
Total depreciation and amortization	979,652,000	606,459,000	247,386,000
Corporate
Segment reporting information
Segment profit (loss)	(138,201,000)	(180,007,000)	(155,794,000)
Stock-based compensation expense	66,200,000	93,000,000	48,600,000
Total assets	1,034,614,000	666,311,000	522,331,000
Capital Expenditures, and Depreciation and Amortization
Total capital expenditures	33,761,000	20,826,000	1,193,000
Total depreciation and amortization	$ 6,570,000	$ 6,144,000	$ 7,118,000