Basis of Reporting	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Accounting [Text Block]	Note A - Basis of Reporting The accompanying unaudited interim financial statements of American Bio Medica Corporation (the “Company”) have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Regulation S-X. Accordingly, these unaudited interim financial statements do not include all information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statement presentation. These unaudited interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with our audited financial statements and related notes contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. In the opinion of management, the interim financial statements include all normal, recurring adjustments which are considered necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position of the Company at September 30, 2012, the results of our operations for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2012 and September 30, 2011, and cash flows for the nine month periods ended September 30, 2012 and September 30, 2011. Operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2012. Amounts at December 31, 2011 are derived from our audited financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. During the nine months ended September 30, 2012, there were no significant changes to our critical accounting policies, which are included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. The preparation of these interim financial statements requires the Company to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. On an on-going basis, we evaluate estimates, including those related to product returns, bad debts, inventories, income taxes, warranty obligations, contingencies and litigation. We base estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. These unaudited interim financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern and, accordingly, do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. Our independent registered public accounting firm’s report on the financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, contained an explanatory paragraph regarding our ability to continue as a going concern. As of the date of this report, our current cash balances, together with cash generated from future operations and amounts available under current credit facilities may not be sufficient to fund operations for the next 12 months if sales levels do not improve (and an inability to market and sell our point of collection oral fluid drug tests in the Workplace market would negatively impact our revenues). If cash generated from operations is not sufficient to satisfy our working capital and capital expenditure requirements, we will be required to sell additional equity or obtain additional credit facilities. There is no assurance that such financing will be available or that we will be able to complete financing on satisfactory terms, if at all. Recent Accounting Standards There were no new standards adopted that are expected to have a material impact on our interim financial statements.

Basis of Reporting

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Note A - Basis of Reporting

The accompanying unaudited interim financial statements of American Bio Medica Corporation (the “Company”) have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Regulation S-X. Accordingly, these unaudited interim financial statements do not include all information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statement presentation. These unaudited interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with our audited financial statements and related notes contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. In the opinion of management, the interim financial statements include all normal, recurring adjustments which are considered necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position of the Company at September 30, 2012, the results of our operations for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2012 and September 30, 2011, and cash flows for the nine month periods ended September 30, 2012 and September 30, 2011.

Operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2012. Amounts at December 31, 2011 are derived from our audited financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2012, there were no significant changes to our critical accounting policies, which are included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011.

The preparation of these interim financial statements requires the Company to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. On an on-going basis, we evaluate estimates, including those related to product returns, bad debts, inventories, income taxes, warranty obligations, contingencies and litigation. We base estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

These unaudited interim financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern and, accordingly, do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. Our independent registered public accounting firm’s report on the financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, contained an explanatory paragraph regarding our ability to continue as a going concern. As of the date of this report, our current cash balances, together with cash generated from future operations and amounts available under current credit facilities may not be sufficient to fund operations for the next 12 months if sales levels do not improve (and an inability to market and sell our point of collection oral fluid drug tests in the Workplace market would negatively impact our revenues). If cash generated from operations is not sufficient to satisfy our working capital and capital expenditure requirements, we will be required to sell additional equity or obtain additional credit facilities. There is no assurance that such financing will be available or that we will be able to complete financing on satisfactory terms, if at all.

Recent Accounting Standards

There were no new standards adopted that are expected to have a material impact on our interim financial statements.