INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND GOODWILL - Changes in Carrying Amount of Goodwill (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period		$ 15,593		$ 13,432	$ 15,593	$ 15,794	$ 15,794
Goodwill reclassified to assets held for sale and subsequently disposed		(2)					(175)
Impairment	$ 0	(2,213)	$ (312)		(2,213)	(312)	(312)
Realignment of Global Solta reporting unit goodwill		0
Foreign exchange and other		54		(142)			286
Balance at the end of the period	13,290	13,432		13,290	13,290		15,593
Adjustments
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period				0		0	0
Balance at the end of the period		0
As Initially Reported
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period				13,432		15,794	15,794
Balance at the end of the period		13,432
Bausch Lomb / International
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period		6,016		5,986	6,016	5,763	5,763
Goodwill reclassified to assets held for sale and subsequently disposed		(2)					(30)
Impairment		0					0
Realignment of Global Solta reporting unit goodwill		(82)
Foreign exchange and other		54		(142)			283
Balance at the end of the period	5,844	5,986		5,844	5,844		6,016
Bausch Lomb / International | Adjustments
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period				0		264	264
Balance at the end of the period		0
Bausch Lomb / International | As Initially Reported
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period				5,986		5,499	5,499
Balance at the end of the period		5,986
Branded Rx
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period		6,631		0	6,631	7,001	7,001
Goodwill reclassified to assets held for sale and subsequently disposed		0					(61)
Impairment		(2,213)					(312)
Realignment of Global Solta reporting unit goodwill		115
Foreign exchange and other		0					3
Balance at the end of the period		0					6,631
Branded Rx | Adjustments
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period				(4,533)		(264)	(264)
Balance at the end of the period		(4,533)
Branded Rx | As Initially Reported
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period				4,533		7,265	7,265
Balance at the end of the period		4,533
U.S. Diversified Products
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period		2,946		0	2,946	3,030	3,030
Goodwill reclassified to assets held for sale and subsequently disposed		0					(84)
Impairment		0					0
Realignment of Global Solta reporting unit goodwill		(33)
Foreign exchange and other		0					0
Balance at the end of the period		0					2,946
U.S. Diversified Products | Adjustments
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period				(2,913)		0	0
Balance at the end of the period		(2,913)
U.S. Diversified Products | As Initially Reported
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period				2,913		$ 3,030	$ 3,030
Balance at the end of the period		2,913
Salix
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period				3,156
Foreign exchange and other				0
Balance at the end of the period	3,156	3,156		3,156	3,156
Salix | Adjustments
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period				3,156
Balance at the end of the period		3,156
Ortho Dermatologics
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period				1,267
Foreign exchange and other				0
Balance at the end of the period	1,267	1,267		1,267	1,267
Ortho Dermatologics | Adjustments
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period				1,267
Balance at the end of the period		1,267
Diversified Products
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period				3,023
Foreign exchange and other				0
Balance at the end of the period	$ 3,023	3,023		3,023	$ 3,023
Diversified Products | Adjustments
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period				$ 3,023
Balance at the end of the period		$ 3,023