Commitments and Contingencies (Narrative) (Details) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended												12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($) l	Sep. 30, 2011 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Auralis Acquisition [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Auralis Acquisition [Member] GBP (£)	Dec. 31, 2011 Lev Pharmaceuticals Inc Acquisition [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Cinryze [Member] Lev Pharmaceuticals Inc Acquisition [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Contingent Payments Relate To Certain Milestones [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Contingent Payments Relate To Certain Milestones [Member] Lev Pharmaceuticals Inc Acquisition [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Contingent Payments Relate To Certain Milestones [Member] Cinryze [Member] Lev Pharmaceuticals Inc Acquisition [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Contingent Payments Relate To Specific Regulatory Milestones [Member] Duo Cort Pharma AB Acquisition [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Contingent Payments Relate To Specific Regulatory Milestones [Member] Duo Cort Pharma AB Acquisition [Member] SEK	Dec. 31, 2011 Contingent Payments Relate To Commercial Milestones [Member] Duo Cort Pharma AB Acquisition [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Contingent Payments Relate To Commercial Milestones [Member] Duo Cort Pharma AB Acquisition [Member] SEK	Dec. 31, 2011 Contingent Payments Relate To Regulatory And Commercial Milestones [Member] Lev Pharmaceuticals Inc Acquisition [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 First CVR Payment [Member] Lev Pharmaceuticals Inc Acquisition [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 First CVR Payment [Member] Hereditary Angioedema (HAE) [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 First CVR Payment [Member] Cinryze [Member] Lev Pharmaceuticals Inc Acquisition [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Second CVR Payment [Member] Lev Pharmaceuticals Inc Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Second CVR Payment [Member] Cinryze [Member] Lev Pharmaceuticals Inc Acquisition [Member] USD ($)	Nov. 15, 2011 Maximum [Member] USD ($)	Nov. 15, 2011 Maximum [Member] SEK	Dec. 31, 2011 Maximum [Member] Contingent Payments Relate To Certain Milestones [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Maximum [Member] Contingent Payments Relate To Certain Milestones [Member] SEK	Dec. 31, 2011 Maximum [Member] Contingent Payments Relate To Certain Milestones [Member] Duo Cort Pharma AB Acquisition [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Maximum [Member] Contingent Payments Relate To Certain Milestones [Member] Duo Cort Pharma AB Acquisition [Member] SEK	Nov. 15, 2011 Minimum [Member] USD ($)	Nov. 15, 2011 Minimum [Member] SEK	Dec. 31, 2011 Minimum [Member] Contingent Payments Relate To Certain Milestones [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Minimum [Member] Contingent Payments Relate To Certain Milestones [Member] SEK	Dec. 31, 2011 Minimum [Member] Contingent Payments Relate To Certain Milestones [Member] Duo Cort Pharma AB Acquisition [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Minimum [Member] Contingent Payments Relate To Certain Milestones [Member] Duo Cort Pharma AB Acquisition [Member] SEK
Business Acquisition, Contingent Consideration [Line Items]
Committed to purchase of plasma - 2012, liters	240,000
Committed to purchase of plasma - 2012 through 2015, maximum liters	210,000
Contingent consideration paid, Per share					$ 0.50			$ 1.00						$ 1.00	$ 0.50	$ 0.50			$ 0.50
Contingent consideration, potential cash payment			$ 15.5	£ 10.0					$ 174.6	$ 23.0	160.0	$ 101.0	700.0			$ 87.5	$ 87.5		$ 87.5	$ 124.0	860.0	$ 124.0	860.0	$ 124.0	860.0	$ 35.0	240.0	$ 35.0	240.0	$ 35.0	240.0
Estimated cumulative product sales, Net						600													600
Estimated Period to achieve cumulative product sales																		October 2018
Maximum Additional Amount Payable Based Upon Happening Of Defined Events		120					191
Recognized approximate cumulative sales of Cinryze	$ 525.3