INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND GOODWILL - Schedule of Goodwill (Details) - USD ($)			3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 01, 2018	Jan. 01, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period		$ 15,794,000,000		$ 15,593,000,000	$ 15,794,000,000	$ 18,553,000,000
Acquisitions						1,000,000
Divestitures				(2,000,000)		(5,000,000)
Goodwill reclassified					(175,000,000)	(1,378,000,000)
Impairments				(2,322,000,000)	(312,000,000)	(1,077,000,000)
Realignment of segment goodwill		0				0
Foreign exchange and other				(127,000,000)	286,000,000
Balance at the end of the period				13,142,000,000	15,593,000,000	15,794,000,000
Ortho Dermatologics Reporting Unit
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Impairments			$ 0	(2,213,000,000)
Dentistry Reporting Unit
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Impairments	$ (109,000,000)			(109,000,000)
Former U.S. Reporting Unit
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Impairments						(905,000,000)
Salix
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Impairments						(172,000,000)
Portfolio of neurology medical device products
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Divestitures						(36,000,000)
Ruconest Divestiture
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Goodwill reclassified						(37,000,000)
Developed Markets
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period		0		0	0	16,141,000,000
Acquisitions						1,000,000
Realignment of segment goodwill						(15,211,000,000)
Foreign exchange and other						47,000,000
Balance at the end of the period				0	0	0
Developed Markets | Former U.S. Reporting Unit
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Impairments						(905,000,000)
Developed Markets | Portfolio of neurology medical device products
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Divestitures						(36,000,000)
Developed Markets | Ruconest Divestiture
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Goodwill reclassified						(37,000,000)
Emerging Markets
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period		0		0	0	2,412,000,000
Realignment of segment goodwill						(2,400,000,000)
Foreign exchange and other						(12,000,000)
Balance at the end of the period				0	0	0
Bausch Lomb/ International
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period		5,499,000,000		6,016,000,000	5,499,000,000	0
Divestitures				(2,000,000)		(5,000,000)
Goodwill reclassified				82,000,000	(30,000,000)	(947,000,000)
Realignment of segment goodwill		264,000,000				6,708,000,000
Foreign exchange and other				(127,000,000)	283,000,000	(257,000,000)
Balance at the end of the period				5,805,000,000	6,016,000,000	5,499,000,000
Branded Rx
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period		7,265,000,000		6,631,000,000	7,265,000,000	0
Goodwill reclassified				(115,000,000)	(61,000,000)	(431,000,000)
Impairments					(312,000,000)
Realignment of segment goodwill		(264,000,000)		(4,533,000,000)		7,873,000,000
Foreign exchange and other					3,000,000	(5,000,000)
Balance at the end of the period				0	6,631,000,000	7,265,000,000
Branded Rx | Ortho Dermatologics Reporting Unit
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Impairments				(2,213,000,000)
Branded Rx | Salix
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Impairments						(172,000,000)
U.S. Diversified Products
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period		$ 3,030,000,000		2,946,000,000	3,030,000,000	0
Goodwill reclassified				33,000,000	(84,000,000)
Realignment of segment goodwill				(2,913,000,000)		3,030,000,000
Foreign exchange and other					0
Balance at the end of the period				0	$ 2,946,000,000	3,030,000,000
Developed Markets and Emerging Markets Segments
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Foreign exchange and other						35,000,000
Bausch Lomb/International and Branded RX Segments
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Foreign exchange and other						$ (262,000,000)
Salix
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Realignment of segment goodwill				3,156,000,000
Balance at the end of the period				3,156,000,000
Ortho Dermatologics
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Realignment of segment goodwill				1,267,000,000
Balance at the end of the period				1,267,000,000
Diversified Products
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Realignment of segment goodwill				3,023,000,000
Balance at the end of the period				2,914,000,000
Diversified Products | Dentistry Reporting Unit
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Impairments				$ (109,000,000)