INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND GOODWILL - Schedule of Goodwill (Details) - USD ($)				3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 01, 2019	Oct. 01, 2018	Jan. 01, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period			$ 15,794,000,000		$ 13,142,000,000	$ 15,593,000,000	$ 15,794,000,000
Acquisition of certain assets of Synergy					3,000,000
Goodwill reclassified to assets held for sale					(18,000,000)	(2,000,000)	(175,000,000)
Impairments	$ 0				0	(2,322,000,000)	(312,000,000)
Realignment of segment goodwill			0
Foreign exchange and other					(1,000,000)	(127,000,000)	286,000,000
Balance at the end of the period					13,126,000,000	13,142,000,000	15,593,000,000
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)
Bausch Lomb/ International
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period			5,499,000,000		5,805,000,000	6,016,000,000	5,499,000,000
Realignment of Global Solta reporting unit goodwill						(82,000,000)
Goodwill reclassified to assets held for sale					(18,000,000)	(2,000,000)	(30,000,000)
Realignment of segment goodwill			264,000,000
Foreign exchange and other					(1,000,000)	(127,000,000)	283,000,000
Balance at the end of the period					5,786,000,000	5,805,000,000	6,016,000,000
Branded Rx
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period			7,265,000,000		0	6,631,000,000	7,265,000,000
Realignment of Global Solta reporting unit goodwill						115,000,000
Goodwill reclassified to assets held for sale							(61,000,000)
Impairments							(312,000,000)
Realignment of segment goodwill			(264,000,000)			(4,533,000,000)
Foreign exchange and other							3,000,000
Balance at the end of the period					0	0	6,631,000,000
Branded Rx | Ortho Dermatologics Reporting Unit
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Impairments						(2,213,000,000)
U.S. Diversified Products
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period			$ 3,030,000,000		0	2,946,000,000	3,030,000,000
Realignment of Global Solta reporting unit goodwill						(33,000,000)
Goodwill reclassified to assets held for sale							(84,000,000)
Realignment of segment goodwill						(2,913,000,000)
Foreign exchange and other							0
Balance at the end of the period					0	0	$ 2,946,000,000
Salix
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period					3,156,000,000
Acquisition of certain assets of Synergy					3,000,000
Realignment of segment goodwill						3,156,000,000
Balance at the end of the period					3,159,000,000	3,156,000,000
Ortho Dermatologics
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period					1,267,000,000
Realignment of segment goodwill						1,267,000,000
Balance at the end of the period					1,267,000,000	1,267,000,000
Diversified Products
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Balance at the beginning of the period					2,914,000,000
Realignment of segment goodwill						3,023,000,000
Balance at the end of the period					$ 2,914,000,000	2,914,000,000
Diversified Products | Dentistry Reporting Unit
Change in the carrying amount of goodwill
Impairments						$ (109,000,000)