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Percentage of voting equity interests acquired at the acquisition date in the business combination.

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This element represents acquisition-related costs incurred to effect a business combination which costs have been expensed during the period. Such costs include finder's fees; advisory, legal, accounting, valuation, and other professional or consulting fees; general administrative costs, including the costs of maintaining an internal acquisitions department; and may include costs of registering and issuing debt and equity securities.

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For contingent consideration arrangements recognized in connection with a business combination, this element represents an estimate of the high-end of the potential range (undiscounted) of the consideration which may be paid.

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Amount of liability recognized arising from contingent consideration in a business combination.

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Amount of currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions, acquired at the acquisition date. Includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits. Also includes short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates.

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Amount of assets that are expected to be realized or consumed within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer, acquired at the acquisition date.

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Amount of liabilities due within one year or within the normal operating cycle, if longer, assumed at the acquisition date.

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Amount of intangible assets, excluding goodwill, acquired at the acquisition date.

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Amount recognized as of the acquisition date for the identifiable assets acquired in excess of (less than) the aggregate liabilities assumed.

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Amount of assets expected to be realized or consumed after one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer, acquired at the acquisition date.

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Amount of increase in asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized resulting from a business combination.

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The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of business during the period. The cash portion only of the acquisition price.

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Business Combinations (Lumena, Fibrotech and Other Acquisitions) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	0 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	0 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Apr. 02, 2012	Apr. 19, 2012	Jul. 04, 2014	Jun. 11, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Apr. 17, 2013	Feb. 12, 2013	Mar. 08, 2013
Purchase Price Allocation
Goodwill arising on business acquired	$ 1,890.5us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod	$ 170.3us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
Integration and acquisition costs	158.8	(134.1)	13.5
Impairment charges	190.3	19.9	197.9
SHP602 IPR&D
Purchase Price Allocation
Impairment charges				166.0
SHP613
Purchase Price Allocation
Impairment charges					22.0
FerroKin
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of voting interests acquired						100.00%
Acquisition-date fair value of consideration						159.3
Cash consideration paid						94.5
Fair value of contingent consideration payable						64.8
Maximum amount of contingent cash consideration						225.0
Purchase Price Allocation
IPR&D						166.0
Net current liabilities assumed						6.6
Net non-current liabilities assumed (including deferred tax liabilities)						46.2
Goodwill arising on business acquired						46.1
Integration and acquisition costs	(71.4)	10.4
FerroKin \| SHP602 IPR&D
Purchase Price Allocation
Impairment charges				166.0
Pervasis
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition-date fair value of consideration							26.1
Cash consideration paid							2.5
Fair value of contingent consideration payable							23.6
Maximum amount of contingent cash consideration							169.5
Purchase Price Allocation
IPR&D							24.3
Net current liabilities assumed							0.2
Goodwill arising on business acquired							2.0
Integration and acquisition costs	(23.1)	0
Pervasis \| SHP613
Purchase Price Allocation
Impairment charges					22.0
Fibrotech
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition-date fair value of consideration								122.6
Cash consideration paid								75.6
Fair value of contingent consideration payable								47.0
Maximum amount of contingent cash consideration								482.5
Purchase Price Allocation
IPR&D								11.0
Net current assets assumed								1.4
Goodwill arising on business acquired								110.2
Integration and acquisition costs	3.3	0
Lumena
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of voting interests acquired									100.00%
Acquisition-date fair value of consideration									464.3
Cash consideration paid									300.3
Fair value of contingent consideration payable									164.0
Maximum amount of contingent cash consideration									265.0
Purchase Price Allocation
IPR&D									467.0
Net non-current liabilities assumed (including deferred tax liabilities)									169.9
Net current assets assumed									52.6
Goodwill arising on business acquired									114.6
Cash and cash equivalents									46.3
Integration and acquisition costs	6.9	0
Bikam
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Fair value of contingent consideration payable										5.8
Maximum amount of contingent cash consideration										92.0
Other Acquisitions
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition-date fair value of consideration										17.9
Cash consideration paid										12.1
Purchase Price Allocation
Net current assets assumed										1.0
Goodwill arising on business acquired										12.1
Non-current assets assumed										4.8
SARcode Biosciences Inc
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of voting interests acquired											100.00%
Acquisition-date fair value of consideration											368.0
Cash consideration paid											151.0
Fair value of contingent consideration payable											217.0
Maximum amount of contingent cash consideration											225.0
Purchase Price Allocation
IPR&D											412.0
Net current liabilities assumed											8.2
Net non-current liabilities assumed (including deferred tax liabilities)											122.4
Goodwill arising on business acquired											86.6
Integration and acquisition costs	62.9	(170.7)
Lotus
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of voting interests acquired												100.00%
Acquisition-date fair value of consideration												174.2
Cash consideration paid												49.4
Fair value of contingent consideration payable												124.8
Maximum amount of contingent cash consideration												275.0
Purchase Price Allocation
IPR&D												176.7
Net non-current liabilities assumed (including deferred tax liabilities)												63.4
Net current assets assumed												6.8
Goodwill arising on business acquired												54.1
Integration and acquisition costs	10.1	2.3
Premacure
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of voting interests acquired													100.00%
Acquisition-date fair value of consideration													140.2
Cash consideration paid													30.6
Fair value of contingent consideration payable													109.6
Maximum amount of contingent cash consideration													169.0
Purchase Price Allocation
IPR&D													151.8
Net current liabilities assumed													11.7
Net non-current liabilities assumed (including deferred tax liabilities)													29.5
Goodwill arising on business acquired													29.6
Integration and acquisition costs	$ 33.9	$ 9.5