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LONG-TERM DEBT - Senior Notes and Convertible Notes Narrative (Details) € in Millions													3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Mar. 27, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 27, 2015 EUR (€)	Feb. 20, 2015 USD ($)	Feb. 17, 2015 USD ($)	Jan. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 29, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 02, 2013 USD ($)	Jul. 12, 2013 USD ($)	Oct. 04, 2012 USD ($)	Mar. 08, 2011 USD ($)	Feb. 08, 2011 USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2010 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Apr. 01, 2015 USD ($) tranche	Nov. 23, 2010 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Loss on extinguishment of debt																$ 94,000,000	$ 0	$ 20,000,000	$ 130,000,000
Total gross maturities																	$ 30,169,000,000	31,437,000,000
Issuance of common shares	$ 1,450,000,000																	1,482,000,000
Salix
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Restricted cash	10,340,000,000
Issuance of common shares	$ 1,450,000,000
Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price percentage due to change in control (as a percent)																	101.00%
6.875% Senior Notes due in December 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)																					6.875%
Aggregate principal amount																					$ 1,000,000,000.0
Aggregate principal amount of notes repurchased				$ 500,000,000		$ 445,000,000
Repurchases of convertible debt				524,000,000		463,000,000
Call premium				$ 17,000,000		$ 15,000,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt														$ 20,000,000	$ 18,000,000
7.00% Senior Notes due in October 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)												7.00%					7.00%
Amount borrowed												$ 700,000,000
Total gross maturities																	$ 690,000,000	690,000,000
6.75% Senior Notes due in August 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)											6.75%						6.75%
Amount borrowed											$ 650,000,000
Total gross maturities																	$ 650,000,000	650,000,000
7.25% Senior Notes due in July 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)										7.25%							7.25%
Amount borrowed										$ 550,000,000
Total gross maturities																	$ 550,000,000	550,000,000
6.375% Senior Notes due in October 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)									6.375%								6.375%
Amount borrowed									$ 1,750,000,000
Total gross maturities																	$ 2,250,000,000	2,250,000,000
6.375% Senior Notes due in October 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount borrowed									$ 500,000,000
6.75% Senior Notes due August 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)								6.75%									6.75%
Amount borrowed								$ 1,600,000,000
Total gross maturities																	$ 1,600,000,000	1,600,000,000
7.50% Senior Notes due July 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)								7.50%									7.50%
Amount borrowed								$ 1,625,000,000
Total gross maturities																	$ 1,625,000,000	1,625,000,000
5.625 % Senior Notes due December 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)							5.625%										5.625%
Amount borrowed							$ 900,000,000
Total gross maturities																	$ 900,000,000	900,000,000
5.50% Senior Notes due March 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)					5.50%												5.50%
Redemption price percentage (as a percent)																	100.00%
Amount borrowed					$ 1,000,000,000
Maximum percentage of the aggregate principal amount that may be redeemed with the net proceeds of certain equity offerings					40.00%
Total gross maturities																	$ 1,000,000,000	1,000,000,000
5.375% Senior Notes due March 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	5.375%																5.375%
Redemption price percentage (as a percent)																	100.00%
Amount borrowed	$ 2,000,000,000
Total gross maturities																	$ 2,000,000,000	2,000,000,000
5.875% Senior Notes due May 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	5.875%																5.875%
Redemption price percentage (as a percent)																	100.00%
Amount borrowed	$ 3,250,000,000
Total gross maturities																	$ 3,250,000,000	3,250,000,000
4.50% Senior Notes Due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	4.50%																4.50%
Redemption price percentage (as a percent)																	100.00%
Amount borrowed \| €		€ 1,500
Total gross maturities																	$ 1,578,000,000	1,629,000,000
6.125% Senior Notes due April 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	6.125%																6.125%
Redemption price percentage (as a percent)																	100.00%
Amount borrowed	$ 3,250,000,000
Total gross maturities																	$ 3,250,000,000	3,250,000,000
5.375%, 5.875%, 4.50% and 6.125% Senior Unsecured Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum percentage of the aggregate principal amount that may be redeemed with the net proceeds of certain equity offerings	40.00%	40.00%
5.375%, 5.875%, 4.50% and 6.125% Senior Unsecured Notes \| Salix
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount borrowed			$ 10,100,000,000
Convertible Notes 2.75% Due May 2015 \| Salix
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)																				2.75%
Convertible Notes 2.75% Due May 2015 \| Convertible Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)													2.75%							2.75%
Debt number of tranches \| tranche																				2
Average price per principal amount													$ 3,729.46
Total gross maturities																				$ 345,000,000
Convertible Notes 1.5% Due March 2019 \| Salix
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)																				1.50%
Convertible Notes 1.5% Due March 2019 \| Convertible Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)													1.50%							1.50%
Average price per principal amount													$ 2,663.26
Total gross maturities																				$ 690,000,000
Senior Credit Facilities \| Salix
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity			5,550,000,000.00
Senior Unsecured Bridge Facility \| Salix
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity			9,600,000,000.00
Incremental Term Loan Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total gross maturities																	$ 823,000,000	$ 853,000,000
Incremental Term Loan Facility \| Salix
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity			15,250,000,000.00
Incremental Term Loan Facilities \| Salix
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity			$ 5,150,000,000.00																	$ 5,150,000,000.00
Amended and Restated Commitment Letter \| Salix
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Deferred financing costs expensed														$ 72,000,000