BUSINESS COMBINATIONS (Details)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		1 Months Ended																									1 Months Ended							1 Months Ended	7 Months Ended	9 Months Ended											1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended			1 Months Ended		2 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	8 Months Ended	9 Months Ended				1 Months Ended		4 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2010 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2010 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2010 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Year	Sep. 28, 2010 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2010 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Amounts Recognized as of Acquisition Date (as previously reported) USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2010 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Amounts Recognized as of Acquisition Date (as previously reported) Product brands USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2010 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Amounts Recognized as of Acquisition Date (as previously reported) Corporate brands USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2010 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Amounts Recognized as of Acquisition Date (as previously reported) Product rights USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2010 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Amounts Recognized as of Acquisition Date (as previously reported) Out-licensed technology and other USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2010 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Amounts Recognized as of Acquisition Date (as previously reported) Ezogabine/retigabine USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2010 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Amounts Recognized as of Acquisition Date (as previously reported) Dermatology products USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2010 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Amounts Recognized as of Acquisition Date (as previously reported) Other USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2010 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Measurement Period Adjustments USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2010 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Measurement Period Adjustments Product brands USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2010 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Measurement Period Adjustments Corporate brands USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2010 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Measurement Period Adjustments Product rights USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2010 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Measurement Period Adjustments Out-licensed technology and other USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2010 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Measurement Period Adjustments Dermatology products USD ($)	Sep. 28, 2010 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Measurement Period Adjustments Other USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Amounts Recognized as of September 30, 2011 (as adjusted) USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Amounts Recognized as of September 30, 2011 (as adjusted) Product brands USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Amounts Recognized as of September 30, 2011 (as adjusted) Corporate brands USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Amounts Recognized as of September 30, 2011 (as adjusted) Product rights USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Amounts Recognized as of September 30, 2011 (as adjusted) Out-licensed technology and other USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Amounts Recognized as of September 30, 2011 (as adjusted) Ezogabine/retigabine USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Amounts Recognized as of September 30, 2011 (as adjusted) Dermatology products USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Amounts Recognized as of September 30, 2011 (as adjusted) Other USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2010 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Product brands Year	Sep. 30, 2010 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Corporate brands Year	Sep. 30, 2010 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Product rights Year	Sep. 30, 2010 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Out-licensed technology and other Year	Jun. 30, 2011 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Meda Pharma SARL ("Meda") Year	Sep. 30, 2011 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Meda Pharma SARL ("Meda") USD ($)	Jun. 29, 2011 Valeant Pharmaceuticals International ("Valeant") Meda Pharma SARL ("Meda") USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2011 PharmaSwiss S.A. Year	Sep. 30, 2011 PharmaSwiss S.A. USD ($) country	Sep. 30, 2011 PharmaSwiss S.A. USD ($) area country	Mar. 10, 2011 PharmaSwiss S.A. USD ($)	Mar. 10, 2011 PharmaSwiss S.A. EUR (€)	Mar. 10, 2011 PharmaSwiss S.A. Amounts Recognized as of Acquisition Date (as previously reported) USD ($)	Mar. 10, 2011 PharmaSwiss S.A. Amounts Recognized as of Acquisition Date (as previously reported) Product brands USD ($)	Mar. 10, 2011 PharmaSwiss S.A. Amounts Recognized as of Acquisition Date (as previously reported) Partner relationships USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2011 PharmaSwiss S.A. Measurement Period Adjustments USD ($)	Mar. 10, 2011 PharmaSwiss S.A. Measurement Period Adjustments Product brands USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 PharmaSwiss S.A. Amounts Recognized as of September 30, 2011 (as adjusted) USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 PharmaSwiss S.A. Amounts Recognized as of September 30, 2011 (as adjusted) Product brands USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 PharmaSwiss S.A. Amounts Recognized as of September 30, 2011 (as adjusted) Partner relationships USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2011 PharmaSwiss S.A. Product brands Year	Mar. 31, 2011 PharmaSwiss S.A. Partner relationships Year	Mar. 31, 2011 PharmaSwiss S.A. Foreign currency forward-exchange contracts USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2011 PharmaSwiss S.A. Foreign currency forward-exchange contracts EUR (€)	Feb. 28, 2011 PharmaSwiss S.A. Foreign currency forward-exchange contracts EUR (€)	Sep. 30, 2011 Sanitas EUR (€)	Aug. 31, 2011 Sanitas USD ($) Year	Sep. 30, 2011 Sanitas USD ($) country	Sep. 30, 2011 Sanitas USD ($) country	Aug. 31, 2011 Sanitas	Sep. 30, 2011 Sanitas USD ($) product country	Sep. 15, 2011 Sanitas USD ($)	Aug. 19, 2011 Sanitas USD ($)	Aug. 19, 2011 Sanitas Amounts Recognized as of Acquisition Date (as previously reported) USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2011 Sanitas Product brands Year	Aug. 31, 2011 Sanitas Partner relationships Year	Sep. 30, 2011 Elidel and Xerese USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 Elidel and Xerese USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 Ganehill Pty Limited ("Ganehill") USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 Delatestryl and Viroptic USD ($)
Business Combinations
Right to receive converted common shares ratio					1.7809
Fair value of consideration transferred as of merger date						$ 3,900,000,000
Assets acquired and liabilities assumed
Cash and cash equivalents							348,637,000															348,637,000																				43,940,000					43,940,000																5,607,000
Accounts receivable							194,930,000															194,930,000																				63,509,000			(1,880,000)		61,629,000																25,645,000
Inventories							208,874,000															208,874,000																				72,144,000			(1,825,000)		70,319,000																22,010,000
Other current assets							30,869,000															30,869,000																				14,429,000					14,429,000																3,166,000
Property, plant and equipment							184,757,000															184,757,000																				9,737,000					9,737,000																83,288,000
Identifiable intangible assets							3,844,310,000	3,114,689,000	168,602,000	360,970,000	200,049,000				(224,939,000)	(190,779,000)	98,000	(52,949,000)	18,691,000			3,619,371,000	2,923,910,000	168,700,000	308,021,000	218,740,000																202,071,000	71,888,000	130,183,000	7,169,000	7,169,000	209,240,000	79,057,000	130,183,000														247,127,000			406,400,000	406,400,000	12,700,000	17,700,000
Transaction costs																																																									7,300,000	7,300,000		7,300,000
Acquired IPR&D							1,404,956,000					891,461,000	431,323,000	82,172,000	(4,195,000)					(3,100,000)	(1,095,000)	1,400,761,000					891,461,000	428,223,000	81,077,000																																		747,000			33,500,000	33,500,000
Other non-current assets							6,108,000															6,108,000																				3,122,000					3,122,000																2,662,000
Current liabilities							(385,574,000)								874,000							(384,700,000)																				(46,866,000)			(138,000)		(47,004,000)																(30,428,000)
Long-term debt, including current portion							(2,913,614,000)															(2,913,614,000)																																									(67,134,000)
Deferred income taxes, net							(1,467,791,000)								157,816,000							(1,309,975,000)																				(18,176,000)			10,540,000		(7,636,000)																(43,269,000)			(2,200,000)	(2,200,000)
Other non-current liabilities							(149,307,000)								(46,022,000)							(195,329,000)																				(720,000)					(720,000)																(6,049,000)
Total identifiable net assets							1,307,155,000								(116,466,000)							1,190,689,000																				343,190,000			13,866,000		357,056,000																243,372,000
Equity component of convertible debt							(225,971,000)															(225,971,000)
Call option agreements							(28,000,000)															(28,000,000)
Goodwill							2,878,856,000								116,466,000							2,995,322,000																				171,105,000			(9,453,000)		161,652,000																204,791,000					5,400,000
Total fair value of consideration transferred							3,932,040,000															3,932,040,000																				514,295,000			4,413,000		518,708,000																448,163,000					19,400,000
Estimated weighted-average useful life (in years)					15																									16	20	9	7	8			7													9	7					0								0	0
Fair value of trade accounts receivable acquired																																								61,600,000																						25,600,000
Gross contractual amount of trade accounts receivable acquired																																								66,800,000																						27,800,000
Expected uncollectible of trade accounts receivable acquired																																								5,200,000																						2,200,000
Estimated fair value of inventory																																								18,200,000
Percentage of shares agreed to be sold by major shareholders (as a percent)																																																														87.20%
Cash paid (in euros)																																								491,200,000	353,100,000																					392,300,000
Number of products in product portfolio (in products)																																																												390
Maximum contingent payment (in euros)																																								41,700,000	30,000,000
Fair value of contingent payments																																								27,500,000
Notional amount of foreign currency forward-exchange contract purchased (in euros)																																																						130,000,000
Gain on settlement of foreign currency forward-exchange contract																																																				5,100,000
Foreign exchange loss recognized on amount bought to finance business acquisition																																																				2,400,000
Remaining foreign currency consideration used to finance transaction of business combination (in euros)																																																					220,000,000
Foreign exchange and other	(3,590,000)	301,000	64,000	345,000																																																2,700,000
Number of areas of operation (in areas)																																							7
Number of countries in which entity operates (in countries)																																						19	19																		9	9		9
Revenues of acquiree since acquisition date																																						141,300,000																			17,000,000									19,300,000
Upfront payment																																				76,000,000
Series of potential milestones to be paid																																			16,000,000
Series of potential royalties to be paid																																			120,000,000
Amount of minimum royalty to be paid																																			120,000,000
Fair value of upfront and contingent consideration																																				437,700,000
Pro forma of consolidated results of operations
Revenues	615,511,000	557,331,000	1,901,672,000	1,676,752,000
Net income (loss) attributable to Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc.	32,719,000	(102,149,000)	122,282,000	(165,877,000)
Earnings (loss) per share attributable to Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc.
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.11	$ (0.34)	$ 0.40	$ (0.55)
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.10	$ (0.34)	$ 0.37	$ (0.55)
Net earnings (loss) of acquiree since acquisition date																																						16,300,000																			10,100,000									(3,000,000)
Business acquisition related costs																																						1,400,000																				1,400,000
Business acquisition accounting adjustment of inventory sold																																							18,800,000																			2,300,000
Business acquisition accounting adjustment																																						39,000,000																													13,200,000
Percentage of shares acquired prior to acquisition date																																																								87.20%
Percentage of voting interest held as of acquisition date																																																								92.00%			4.80%
Number of shares held																																																							30,593,656	28,625,025			1,502,432
Percentage of shares held by noncontrolling interests																																																														4.80%
Acquisition date fair value of noncontrolling interest																																																														34,800,000
Unrealized loss reclassified from other comprehensive income to earnings																																																								200,000
Purchase price of shares purchased in tender offer																																																							€ 10.06
Shares purchased in tender offer																																																							1,968,631
Percentage of shares purchased in tender offer																																																							6.40%
Value of shares purchased in tender offer																																																													27,400,000
Purchase price of shares purchased through squeeze out procedure																																																							€ 10.06
Shares purchased through squeeze out procedure																																																							512,264
Percentage of shares purchased through squeeze out procedure																																																							1.60%
Liability related to shares purchased through squeeze out procedure																																																									$ 5,900,000	$ 5,900,000		$ 5,900,000