LONG-TERM DEBT (Details 3) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	1 Months Ended					6 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	May 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011 Revolving Credit Facility due in December 2012	Jun. 29, 2011 Revolving Credit Facility due in December 2012	Jun. 29, 2011 Revolving Credit Facility due in December 2012 Federal funds rate	Jun. 29, 2011 Revolving Credit Facility due in December 2012 One-month adjusted LIBOR rate	Sep. 27, 2010 Old Revolving Credit Facility	Jun. 30, 2011 Term Loan A Facility	Sep. 27, 2010 Term Loan A Facility	Sep. 27, 2010 Term Loan B Facility	Mar. 31, 2011 6.50% Senior Notes due in July 2016	Jun. 30, 2011 6.50% Senior Notes due in July 2016	Mar. 31, 2011 7.25% Senior Notes due in July 2022	Jun. 30, 2011 7.25% Senior Notes due in July 2022	Feb. 28, 2011 6.75% Senior Notes due in August 2021	Jun. 30, 2011 6.75% Senior Notes due in August 2021	May 19, 2011 4.00% Convertible Notes due in November 2013	Oct. 31, 2010 4.00% Convertible Notes due in November 2013	Jun. 30, 2011 4.00% Convertible Notes due in November 2013	Jun. 30, 2011 4.00% Convertible Notes due in November 2013	Dec. 31, 2010 4.00% Convertible Notes due in November 2013	Jun. 29, 2011 Base rate	Jun. 29, 2011 LIBOR
Long-term debt
Maximum borrowing capacity					$ 200,000,000			$ 125,000,000		$ 1,000,000,000	$ 1,625,000,000
Principal amount borrowed				100,000,000
Interest rate margin (as a percent)						0.50%	1.00%																2.00%	3.00%
Term of credit facility (in years)					1.5			4.5		5	6
Percentage of capital stock of the entity and domestic subsidiaries pledged as collateral for borrowings (as a percent)					100.00%
Percentage of capital stock of foreign subsidiaries pledged as collateral for borrowings (as a percent)					65.00%
Percentage of capital stock of the entity and each other subsidiary of the company (other than Valeant's subsidiaries) that is owned by a guarantor (as a percent)					100.00%
Numerator for leverage ratio, maximum				4.75
Denominator for leverage ratio, maximum				1.00
Amount borrowed												950,000,000		550,000,000		650,000,000			200,000,000
Interest rate on debt (as a percent)													6.50%		7.25%		6.75%					4.00%
Issue price as a percentage of par value (as a percent)														98.125%
Effective annual yield (as a percent)				3.22%											7.50%
Prepayment of Term Loan with proceeds of Notes offering									975,000,000
Repurchase of common shares with proceeds of Notes offering	224,814,000	224,814,000	499,564,000
Redemption price, all or a portion of the Notes, as a percentage of the principal amount (as a percent)													100.00%		100.00%		100.00%				100.00%
Redemption price, using proceeds from certain equity offerings, as a percentage of the principal amount (as a percent)													106.50%		107.25%		106.75%
Repurchase price, as a percentage of the principal amount, change of control (as a percent)													101.00%		101.00%		101.00%
Convertible Notes, number of shares converted into (in shares)																		17,782,764
Conversion rate, number of common shares per $1,000 of principal amount of notes (in shares)																		79.0667
Principal amount of notes used for conversion rate																		1,000
Conversion price of convertible notes (in dollars per share)																		$ 12.65
Carrying amount of notes prior to conversion																		221,400,000
Fair value of notes prior to conversion																		226,000,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt		(14,748,000)	(23,010,000)																	4,600,000
Difference between estimated fair value of notes and fair value of common shares issued upon settlement																		666,000,000
Charges to additional paid-in capital for difference between estimated fair value of notes and fair value of common shares issued upon settlement																		226,000,000
Charges to accumulated deficit for difference between estimated fair value of notes and fair value of common shares issued upon settlement																		440,000,000
Convertible notes, number of shares convertible into equity consisting of purchased call options (in shares)																			15,813,338
Convertible notes, number of shares convertible into equity consisting of written call options (in shares)																			15,813,338
Convertible notes, number of shares converted into equity consisting of purchased call options (in shares)																			11,479,365
Fair value of common shares issued for conversion		$ (892,000,000)	$ (892,000,000)															$ 892,000,000