No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_AccountingPoliciesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount due from customers or clients, within one year of the balance sheet date (or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer), for goods or services (including trade receivables) that have been delivered or sold in the normal course of business, reduced to the estimated net realizable fair value by an allowance established by the entity of the amount it deems uncertain of collection.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(3))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(4))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

For an unclassified balance sheet, a valuation allowance for receivables due a company that are expected to be uncollectible.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66008989&loc=d3e5074-111524

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.4)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

For an entity that discloses a concentration risk in relation to quantitative amount, which serves as the "benchmark" (or denominator) in the equation, this concept represents the concentration percentage derived from the division.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 275
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 18
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64851502&loc=d3e6351-108592

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 20
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73719730&loc=d3e13531-108611

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 275
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 20
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64851502&loc=d3e6404-108592

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 21
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73719730&loc=d3e13537-108611

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of expense related to write-down of receivables to the amount expected to be collected. Includes, but is not limited to, accounts receivable and notes receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.5)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Concentration Risk, Percentage of Net Trade Receivables

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vrx_ConcentrationRiskPercentageofNetTradeReceivables
Namespace Prefix:	vrx_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the maximum original term of maturity for an instrument to be classified as cash or cash equivalent.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vrx_MaximumTermOfOriginalMaturityToClassifyInstrumentsAsCashAndCashEquivalents
Namespace Prefix:	vrx_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the number of largest wholesale customers.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vrx_NumberOfLargestWholesaleCustomers
Namespace Prefix:	vrx_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the past due period for which accounts receivables are negligible.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vrx_PastDuePeriodForAccountsReceivableToBeNegligible
Namespace Prefix:	vrx_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The period of time the accounts receivable has been outstanding.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vrx_PeriodReceivableOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	vrx_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Trade Receivable, Net, Portion Past Due

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vrx_TradeReceivableNetPortionPastDue
Namespace Prefix:	vrx_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=vrx_GreeceSpainItalyPortugalMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis=us-gaap_SalesRevenueNetMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=vrx_AmounPharmaceuticalCompanyS.A.EMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis=us-gaap_AccountsReceivableMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis=us-gaap_CreditConcentrationRiskMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis=vrx_ThreeLargestUSWholesalerCustomersMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Concentrations of Credit Risk (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) wholesaler	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Maximum term of original maturity to classify instruments as cash and cash equivalents (less than)		3 months
Concentrations of Credit Risk
Allowance for doubtful accounts	$ 67	$ 80	$ 67
Percentage of net trade receivables accounted for by largest wholesale customers		40.00%
Past due period for receivables to be negligible (less than)		90 days	90 days
Period net trade receivable balance outstanding (more than)		90 days
Accounts receivable reserve	27
Russia, Egypt, Italy, Brazil, Spain, Greece and Portugal
Concentrations of Credit Risk
Net trade receivable	$ 253	$ 214	$ 253
Portion of net trade receivables that is past due		$ 7
Revenue \| Amoun
Concentrations of Credit Risk
Concentration risk, percentage		2.00%
Trade receivables \| Credit concentration \| Three largest U.S. wholesaler customers
Concentrations of Credit Risk
Number of largest wholesale customers \| wholesaler		3