Segmental Reporting (by Segment) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended										12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010		Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2009
Segment reporting, operating income/(loss)
Product sales											$ 3,950.2		$ 3,128.2		$ 2,693.7
Royalties											283.5		328.1		292.5
Other revenues											29.7		14.8		21.5
Total revenues	1,142.2		1,086.1	1,062.9	972.7	931.2		874.3	849.4	816.2	4,263.4		3,471.1		3,007.7
Cost of product sales											588.1	[1],[2]	463.4	[1],[3]	388.0	[1],[4]
Research and development											770.7	[1],[2]	661.5	[1],[3]	639.9	[1],[4]
Selling, general and administrative											1,751.4	[1],[2]	1,526.3	[1],[3]	1,342.6	[1],[4]
Loss/(gain) on sale of product rights											6.0		(16.5)		(6.3)
Reorganization costs											24.3		34.3		12.7
Integration and acquisition costs											13.7		8.0		10.6
Total operating expenses											3,154.2		2,677.0		2,387.5
Operating income/(loss)	304.0		255.4	283.3	266.5	196.1		155.8	224.4	217.8	1,109.2		794.1		620.2
Assets	6,380.2					5,387.6					6,380.2		5,387.6		4,617.5
Long-lived assets	933.7	[5]				857.4	[5]				933.7	[5]	857.4	[5]	680.6	[6]
Capital expenditure on long-lived assets											204.2	[5]	315.8	[5]	259.3	[6]
Cost of Product Sales
Segment reporting, additional information
Depreciation from manufacturing plants											39.8		38.1		21.8
Amortization of favorable manufacturing contracts											1.7		1.7		1.7
Research and Development
Segment reporting, additional information
Depreciation of research and development assets											25.2		19.0		15.5
Impairment of IPR&D intangible assets											16.0
Selling, General and Administrative
Segment reporting, additional information
Other depreciation and amortization											228.1		238.3		204.7
Specialty Pharmaceuticals
Segment reporting, operating income/(loss)
Product sales											2,615.6		2,219.2		2,138.2
Royalties											199.6		173.3		127.2
Other revenues											24.5		7.1		9.9
Total revenues											2,839.7		2,399.6		2,275.3
Cost of product sales											351.7	[2]	332.1	[3]	299.3	[4]
Research and development											449.1	[2]	348.9	[3]	375.0	[4]
Selling, general and administrative											1,131.3	[2]	1,035.8	[3]	954.4	[4]
Loss/(gain) on sale of product rights											6.0		(16.5)		(6.3)
Reorganization costs											11.8		13.0		12.7
Integration and acquisition costs											0.1		8.0		2.9
Total operating expenses											1,950.0		1,721.3		1,638.0
Operating income/(loss)											889.7		678.3		637.3
Assets	2,421.7					2,483.5					2,421.7		2,483.5		2,067.1
Long-lived assets	126.8	[5]				154.7	[5]				126.8	[5]	154.7	[5]	202.6	[6]
Capital expenditure on long-lived assets											54.4	[5]	21.8	[5]	46.9	[6]
Human Genetic Therapies
Segment reporting, operating income/(loss)
Product sales											1,229.3		909.0		555.5
Royalties											0		0		0
Other revenues											1.2		2.6		2.6
Total revenues											1,230.5		911.6		558.1
Cost of product sales											200.0	[2]	129.3	[3]	88.7	[4]
Research and development											315.4	[2]	312.2	[3]	258.8	[4]
Selling, general and administrative											340.6	[2]	297.7	[3]	208.7	[4]
Loss/(gain) on sale of product rights											0		0		0
Reorganization costs											0		0		0
Integration and acquisition costs											0		0		7.7
Total operating expenses											856.0		739.2		563.9
Operating income/(loss)											374.5		172.4		(5.8)
Assets	1,849.4					1,786.9					1,849.4		1,786.9		1,576.1
Long-lived assets	720.8	[5]				655.4	[5]				720.8	[5]	655.4	[5]	422.4	[6]
Capital expenditure on long-lived assets											129.4	[5]	281.1	[5]	194.4	[6]
Regenerative Medicine
Segment reporting, operating income/(loss)
Product sales											105.3		0		0
Royalties											0		0		0
Other revenues											0		0		0
Total revenues											105.3		0		0
Cost of product sales											36.4	[2]	0	[3]	0	[4]
Research and development											6.2	[2]	0	[3]	0	[4]
Selling, general and administrative											64.4	[2]	0	[3]	0	[4]
Loss/(gain) on sale of product rights											0		0		0
Reorganization costs											0		0		0
Integration and acquisition costs											13.6		0		0
Total operating expenses											120.6		0		0
Operating income/(loss)											(15.3)		0		0
Assets	967.7					0					967.7		0		0
Long-lived assets	22.9	[5]				0	[5]				22.9	[5]	0	[5]	0	[6]
Capital expenditure on long-lived assets											1.5	[5]	0	[5]	0	[6]
All Other Segment
Segment reporting, operating income/(loss)
Product sales											0		0		0
Royalties											83.9		154.8		165.3
Other revenues											4.0		5.1		9.0
Total revenues											87.9		159.9		174.3
Cost of product sales											0	[2]	2.0	[3]	0	[4]
Research and development											0	[2]	0.4	[3]	6.1	[4]
Selling, general and administrative											215.1	[2]	192.8	[3]	179.5	[4]
Loss/(gain) on sale of product rights											0		0		0
Reorganization costs											12.5		21.3		0
Integration and acquisition costs											0		0		0
Total operating expenses											227.6		216.5		185.6
Operating income/(loss)											(139.7)		(56.6)		(11.3)
Assets	1,141.4					1,117.2					1,141.4		1,117.2		974.3
Long-lived assets	63.2	[5]				47.3	[5]				63.2	[5]	47.3	[5]	55.6	[6]
Capital expenditure on long-lived assets											$ 18.9	[5]	$ 12.9	[5]	$ 18.0	[6]

[1] Cost of product sales includes amortization of intangible assets relating to favorable manufacturing contracts of $1.7 million for the year to December 31, 2011 (2010: $1.7 million; 2009: $1.7 million). Research and development costs include intangible asset impairment charges of $16.0 million for the year to December 31, 2011 (2010: $nil; 2009: $nil). Selling, general and administrative costs include amortization and impairment charges of intangible assets relating to intellectual property rights acquired of $165.0 million including impairment losses of $nil for the year to December 31, 2011 (2010: $176.2 million, including impairment losses of $42.7 million; 2009: $136.9 million, including impairment losses of $nil).

[2] Depreciation from manufacturing plants ($39.8 million) and amortization of favorable manufacturing contracts ($1.7 million) is included in Cost of product sales; depreciation of research and development assets ($25.2 million) and impairment of IPR&D intangible assets in the SP reporting segment ($16.0 million) is included in Research and development; and all other depreciation and amortization ($228.1 million) is included in Selling, general and administrative.

[3] Depreciation from manufacturing plants ($38.1 million) and amortization of favorable manufacturing contracts ($1.7 million) is included in Cost of product sales; depreciation of research and development assets ($19.0 million) is included in Research and development; and all other depreciation, amortization and impairment ($238.3 million) is included in Selling, general and administrative.

[4] Depreciation from manufacturing plants ($21.8 million) and amortization of favorable manufacturing contracts ($1.7 million) is included in Cost of product sales; depreciation of research and development assets ($15.5 million) is included in Research and development; and all other depreciation and amortization ($204.7 million) is included in Selling, general and administrative.

[5] Long-lived assets comprise all non-current assets (excluding goodwill and other intangible assets, deferred contingent consideration assets, deferred tax assets, investments, income tax receivable and financial instruments).

[6] Long-lived assets comprise all non-current assets, (excluding goodwill and other intangible assets, deferred tax assets, investments, income tax receivable and financial instruments).