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EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS - Narrative (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Aug. 05, 2013
defined_benefit_plan
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]        
Employer contribution maximum age 65 years      
Estimated Future Benefit Payments        
Future benefit payments period 10 years      
Assumptions        
Fair value, assets, level 1 to level 2 transfers, amount $ 0us-gaap_FairValueAssetsLevel1ToLevel2TransfersAmount      
Defined Contribution Plans        
Contributions recognized 20,500,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized 16,400,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized 2,800,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized  
U.S. defined benefit pension plan        
Benefit Obligation, Change in Plan Assets and Funded Status        
Estimated company contributions in current fiscal year 10,100,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInCurrentFiscalYear
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
     
Assumptions        
Expected return on plan assets (percent) 7.50%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
7.50%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
   
Non-U.S. defined benefit pension plans        
Accounting for Pension Benefit Plans and Postretirement Benefit Plan        
Expected unrecognized prior service credits during next year 600,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFutureAmortizationOfPriorServiceCostCredit
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
     
Expected unrecognized loss during next year 1,400,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFutureAmortizationOfGainLoss
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
     
Benefit Obligation, Change in Plan Assets and Funded Status        
Accumulated benefit obligation 263,100,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedBenefitObligation
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
201,500,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedBenefitObligation
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
   
Estimated company contributions in current fiscal year 7,400,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInCurrentFiscalYear
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
     
Assumptions        
Expected return on plan assets (percent) 5.63%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
5.59%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
   
U.S. postretirement benefit plan        
Accounting for Pension Benefit Plans and Postretirement Benefit Plan        
Expected unrecognized prior service credits during next year $ 2,500,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFutureAmortizationOfPriorServiceCostCredit
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPostretirementBenefitPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
     
Assumptions        
Expected return on plan assets (percent) 5.50%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPostretirementBenefitPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
5.50%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPostretirementBenefitPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
   
Reduction of expected return on plan assets (percent) 2.00%vrx_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostReductioninExpectedLongtermReturnonAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPostretirementBenefitPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
     
Ireland | Non-U.S. defined benefit pension plans        
Assumptions        
Expected return on plan assets (percent) 6.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_IE
     
B&L | Ireland | Non-U.S. defined benefit pension plans        
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]        
Defined benefit plans       2vrx_DefinedBenefitPlanNumberofDefinedBenefitPlans
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= vrx_BLMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_IE