Amount recognized as of the acquisition date for the identifiable assets acquired in excess of (less than) the aggregate liabilities assumed.

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Amount recognized for assets, including goodwill, in excess of (less than) the aggregate liabilities assumed.

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Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

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INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND GOODWILL - Narrative (Details)		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND GOODWILL - Narrative (Details)	Oct. 01, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) segment	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($) segment	Jun. 30, 2016 segment unit	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Goodwill [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments \| segment				3	2
Percentage of fair value in excess of carrying value					15.00%
Number of operating segments \| segment			3	3
Impairment	$ 0		$ 1,077,000,000
Goodwill		$ 15,794,000,000		$ 15,892,000,000			$ 15,794,000,000			$ 18,553,000,000
Developed Markets
Goodwill [Line Items]
Number of reporting units \| unit					4
Goodwill		0		0			0			16,141,000,000
Emerging Markets
Goodwill [Line Items]
Number of reporting units \| unit					3
Goodwill		0		0			0			2,412,000,000
Bausch Lomb/International, Branded Rx, and U.S. Diversified Products
Goodwill [Line Items]
Percentage of fair value in excess of carrying value	15.00%							15.00%	15.00%
Impairment						$ 211,000,000
Goodwill			172,000,000			172,000,000
Adjustment to goodwill		39,000,000
Branded RX
Goodwill [Line Items]
Percentage of fair value in excess of carrying value	8.00%							5.00%
Goodwill	$ 897,000,000	7,001,000,000		6,997,000,000			7,001,000,000	$ 897,000,000		0
U.S. Diversified Products
Goodwill [Line Items]
Percentage of fair value in excess of carrying value					2.00%
Goodwill		3,030,000,000		2,956,000,000			3,030,000,000			0
Developed Markets, Emerging Markets, U.S. Reporting Segments
Goodwill [Line Items]
Impairment						838,000,000
Goodwill			905,000,000			905,000,000
Adjustment to goodwill		67,000,000
Bausch Lomb / International
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill		5,763,000,000		5,939,000,000			5,763,000,000			$ 0
Salix
Goodwill [Line Items]
Impairment	0						172,000,000
Goodwill	5,128,000,000		5,128,000,000			5,128,000,000
Aggregate purchase price	14,087,000,000		14,066,000,000			14,066,000,000
Total identifiable net assets	$ 10,319,000,000		$ 10,409,000,000			$ 10,409,000,000
Salix \| Developed Markets
Goodwill [Line Items]
Impairment							0
Salix \| Emerging Markets
Goodwill [Line Items]
Impairment							0
Salix \| Branded RX
Goodwill [Line Items]
Impairment							172,000,000
Salix \| U.S. Diversified Products
Goodwill [Line Items]
Impairment							0
Salix \| Bausch Lomb / International
Goodwill [Line Items]
Impairment							0
Specific Product Line
Goodwill [Line Items]
Impairment of finite-lived intangible assets				17,000,000
Other Product Lines
Goodwill [Line Items]
Impairment of finite-lived intangible assets				13,000,000
Product/patent assets
Goodwill [Line Items]
Impairment of finite-lived intangible assets				80,000,000
Held-for-sale \| Certain Businesses from Diversified Products and Bausch Lomb/International Segments
Goodwill [Line Items]
Impairment of long-lived assets				$ 113,000,000
Adjustments
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill		0					0
Adjustments \| Developed Markets
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill		0					0
Adjustments \| Emerging Markets
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill		0					0
Adjustments \| Branded RX
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill		(264,000,000)					(264,000,000)
Adjustments \| U.S. Diversified Products
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill		0					0
Adjustments \| Bausch Lomb / International
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill		$ 264,000,000					$ 264,000,000