SEGMENT INFORMATION - Disaggregation of Revenue (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 product
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 2,016	$ 1,995
Number of products represented of total revenue | product			10
Revenues | Product Concentration Risk
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage	36.00%	35.00%
Pharmaceuticals
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 968	$ 966
Devices
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	404	392
OTC
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	324	326
Branded and Other Generics
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	293	281
Other revenues
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	27	30
Bausch Lomb/ International
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	1,118	1,103
Bausch Lomb/ International | Pharmaceuticals
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	217	203
Bausch Lomb/ International | Devices
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	366	363
Bausch Lomb/ International | OTC
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	324	326
Bausch Lomb/ International | Branded and Other Generics
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	191	191
Bausch Lomb/ International | Other revenues
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	20	20
Salix
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	445	422
Salix | Pharmaceuticals
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	445	422
Salix | Devices
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0
Salix | OTC
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0
Salix | Branded and Other Generics
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0
Salix | Other revenues
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0
Ortho Dermatologics
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	138	140
Ortho Dermatologics | Pharmaceuticals
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	95	105
Ortho Dermatologics | Devices
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	38	29
Ortho Dermatologics | OTC
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0
Ortho Dermatologics | Branded and Other Generics
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0
Ortho Dermatologics | Other revenues
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	5	6
Diversified Products
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	315	330
Diversified Products | Pharmaceuticals
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	211	236
Diversified Products | Devices
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0
Diversified Products | OTC
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0
Diversified Products | Branded and Other Generics
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	102	90
Diversified Products | Other revenues
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 2	$ 4