SEGMENT INFORMATION - Segment Revenues and Profit, Assets and Capital Expenditures, Depreciation & Amortization of Intangible Assets & Asset Impairments (Details) - USD ($)			3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Oct. 01, 2019	Mar. 08, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Segment reporting information
Revenue			$ 2,224,000,000	$ 2,209,000,000	$ 2,152,000,000	$ 2,016,000,000	$ 2,121,000,000	$ 2,136,000,000	$ 2,128,000,000	$ 1,995,000,000	$ 8,601,000,000	$ 8,380,000,000	$ 8,724,000,000
Operating (loss) income			$ (1,076,000,000)	$ 329,000,000	$ 257,000,000	$ 287,000,000	$ 25,000,000	$ 117,000,000	$ (245,000,000)	$ (2,281,000,000)	(203,000,000)	(2,384,000,000)	102,000,000
Amortization of intangible assets											(1,897,000,000)	(2,644,000,000)	(2,690,000,000)
Goodwill impairments	$ 0										0	(2,322,000,000)	(312,000,000)
Asset impairments											(75,000,000)	(568,000,000)	(714,000,000)
Restructuring and integration costs											(31,000,000)	(22,000,000)	(52,000,000)
Acquisition-related contingent consideration											(12,000,000)	9,000,000	289,000,000
Other expense (income), net											(1,414,000,000)	20,000,000	348,000,000
Interest income											12,000,000	11,000,000	12,000,000
Interest expense											(1,612,000,000)	(1,685,000,000)	(1,840,000,000)
Loss on extinguishment of debt		$ 8,000,000									42,000,000	119,000,000	122,000,000
Foreign exchange and other											8,000,000	23,000,000	107,000,000
Loss before benefit from income taxes											(1,837,000,000)	(4,154,000,000)	(1,741,000,000)
Capital Expenditures, and Depreciation and Amortization
Total capital expenditures											270,000,000	157,000,000	171,000,000
Baush and Lomb/International
Segment reporting information
Revenue											4,739,000,000	4,664,000,000	4,795,000,000
Salix
Segment reporting information
Revenue											2,022,000,000	1,749,000,000	1,566,000,000
Ortho Dermatologics
Segment reporting information
Revenue											565,000,000	617,000,000	721,000,000
Diversified Products
Segment reporting information
Revenue											1,275,000,000	1,350,000,000	1,642,000,000
Operating Segments
Segment reporting information
Revenue											8,601,000,000	8,380,000,000	8,724,000,000
Operating (loss) income											3,835,000,000	3,748,000,000	3,795,000,000
Capital Expenditures, and Depreciation and Amortization
Total capital expenditures											230,000,000	144,000,000	168,000,000
Operating Segments | Baush and Lomb/International
Segment reporting information
Revenue											4,739,000,000	4,664,000,000	4,795,000,000
Operating (loss) income											1,332,000,000	1,330,000,000	1,412,000,000
Capital Expenditures, and Depreciation and Amortization
Total capital expenditures											225,000,000	139,000,000	159,000,000
Operating Segments | Salix
Segment reporting information
Revenue											2,022,000,000	1,749,000,000	1,566,000,000
Operating (loss) income											1,349,000,000	1,149,000,000	935,000,000
Capital Expenditures, and Depreciation and Amortization
Total capital expenditures											2,000,000	2,000,000	3,000,000
Operating Segments | Ortho Dermatologics
Segment reporting information
Revenue											565,000,000	617,000,000	721,000,000
Operating (loss) income											222,000,000	257,000,000	333,000,000
Capital Expenditures, and Depreciation and Amortization
Total capital expenditures											1,000,000	1,000,000	2,000,000
Operating Segments | Diversified Products
Segment reporting information
Revenue											1,275,000,000	1,350,000,000	1,642,000,000
Operating (loss) income											932,000,000	1,012,000,000	1,115,000,000
Capital Expenditures, and Depreciation and Amortization
Total capital expenditures											2,000,000	2,000,000	4,000,000
Corporate
Segment reporting information
Operating (loss) income											(609,000,000)	(605,000,000)	(562,000,000)
Capital Expenditures, and Depreciation and Amortization
Total capital expenditures											$ 40,000,000	$ 13,000,000	$ 3,000,000