Supplemental Guarantor Information (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 340,517	$ 547,916	$ 248,303	$ 547,620
Accounts receivable, net	711,193	690,850
Inventories, net	384,757	357,638
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	44,810	27,750
Income taxes receivable	41,292	36,489
Deferred income taxes	276,450	308,591
Total current assets	1,799,019	1,969,234
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLES	0	0
MARKETABLE SECURITIES	2,539	1,746
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, NET	382,245	385,668
GOODWILL	2,017,363	2,014,351
OTHER INTANGIBLES, NET	2,058,398	2,098,973
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	0	0
OTHER ASSETS	92,938	98,587
TOTAL ASSETS	6,352,502	6,568,559
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	272,377	416,882
Accrued expenses	1,076,644	1,170,945
Current portion of long-term debt	71,968	133,998
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	1,194	6,195
Total current liabilities	1,422,183	1,728,020
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLES	0	0
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES	493,152	516,565
ACQUISITION-RELATED CONTINGENT CONSIDERATION	2,770	2,729
LONG-TERM DEBT, LESS CURRENT PORTION, NET	3,006,062	3,037,947
OTHER LIABILITIES	256,598	150,092
Equity [Abstract]
Preferred Stock	0	0
Common Stock	1,411	1,400
Additional paid-in capital	1,062,076	1,035,115
Retained earnings (deficit)	826,922	811,573
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	(9,166)	(6,802)
Treasury stock	(766,872)	(768,430)
Total Endo Health Solutions Inc. stockholders' equity	1,114,371	1,072,856
Noncontrolling interests	57,366	60,350
Total stockholders' equity	1,171,737	1,133,206	1,949,885	2,039,591
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY	6,352,502	6,568,559
Endo Health Solutions Inc. [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	750	512	41,046	48,318
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Inventories, net	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0
Income taxes receivable	53,016	39,503
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Total current assets	53,766	40,015
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLES	1,555,248	2,039,648
MARKETABLE SECURITIES	0	0
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, NET	0	0
GOODWILL	0	0
OTHER INTANGIBLES, NET	0	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	5,197,663	5,162,874
OTHER ASSETS	59,056	65,727
TOTAL ASSETS	6,865,733	7,308,264
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	89	90
Accrued expenses	24,669	31,981
Current portion of long-term debt	69,375	131,250
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	0	0
Total current liabilities	94,133	163,321
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLES	2,643,760	3,031,742
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES	4,270	5,314
ACQUISITION-RELATED CONTINGENT CONSIDERATION	0	0
LONG-TERM DEBT, LESS CURRENT PORTION, NET	3,002,768	3,035,031
OTHER LIABILITIES	6,431
Equity [Abstract]
Preferred Stock	0	0
Common Stock	1,411	1,400
Additional paid-in capital	1,062,076	1,035,115
Retained earnings (deficit)	826,922	811,573
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	(9,166)	(6,802)
Treasury stock	(766,872)	(768,430)
Total Endo Health Solutions Inc. stockholders' equity	1,114,371	1,072,856
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total stockholders' equity	1,114,371	1,072,856
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY	6,865,733	7,308,264
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	299,172	499,932	166,053	455,756
Accounts receivable, net	615,116	601,967
Inventories, net	367,929	354,150
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	47,472	12,675
Income taxes receivable	(52,012)	(35,708)
Deferred income taxes	268,081	296,027
Total current assets	1,545,758	1,729,043
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLES	7,587,605	8,233,831
MARKETABLE SECURITIES	2,539	1,746
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, NET	353,519	356,427
GOODWILL	1,798,492	1,798,493
OTHER INTANGIBLES, NET	1,983,255	2,020,942
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	315,865	313,978
OTHER ASSETS	27,084	27,766
TOTAL ASSETS	13,614,117	14,482,226
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	266,837	410,532
Accrued expenses	1,021,771	1,096,261
Current portion of long-term debt	906	906
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	1,194	6,195
Total current liabilities	1,290,708	1,513,894
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLES	6,591,628	7,351,093
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES	488,969	512,118
ACQUISITION-RELATED CONTINGENT CONSIDERATION	2,770	2,729
LONG-TERM DEBT, LESS CURRENT PORTION, NET	0	0
OTHER LIABILITIES	259,068	159,319
Equity [Abstract]
Preferred Stock	0	0
Common Stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	4,193,481	4,195,802
Retained earnings (deficit)	793,956	754,551
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	(6,463)	(7,280)
Treasury stock	0	0
Total Endo Health Solutions Inc. stockholders' equity	4,980,974	4,943,073
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total stockholders' equity	4,980,974	4,943,073
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY	13,614,117	14,482,226
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	40,595	47,472	41,204	43,546
Accounts receivable, net	77,039	75,752
Inventories, net	24,818	23,774
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	8,576	8,591
Income taxes receivable	40,179	32,585
Deferred income taxes	8,369	11,906
Total current assets	199,576	200,080
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLES	194,034	193,673
MARKETABLE SECURITIES	0	0
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, NET	29,048	29,573
GOODWILL	218,871	215,858
OTHER INTANGIBLES, NET	75,143	78,031
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	0	0
OTHER ASSETS	25,409	24,122
TOTAL ASSETS	742,081	741,337
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	5,851	6,492
Accrued expenses	30,209	42,708
Current portion of long-term debt	1,687	1,842
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	0	0
Total current liabilities	37,747	51,042
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLES	101,499	84,317
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES	(87)	(867)
ACQUISITION-RELATED CONTINGENT CONSIDERATION	0	0
LONG-TERM DEBT, LESS CURRENT PORTION, NET	3,294	2,916
OTHER LIABILITIES	9,708	9,800
Equity [Abstract]
Preferred Stock	0	0
Common Stock	30,430	30,430
Additional paid-in capital	575,130	571,928
Retained earnings (deficit)	(71,431)	(70,203)
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	(1,575)	1,624
Treasury stock	0	0
Total Endo Health Solutions Inc. stockholders' equity	532,554	533,779
Noncontrolling interests	57,366	60,350
Total stockholders' equity	589,920	594,129
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY	742,081	741,337
Eliminations [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	19,038	13,131
Inventories, net	(7,990)	(20,286)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(11,238)	6,484
Income taxes receivable	109	109
Deferred income taxes	0	658
Total current assets	(81)	96
INTERCOMPANY RECEIVABLES	(9,336,887)	(10,467,152)
MARKETABLE SECURITIES	0	0
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, NET	(322)	(332)
GOODWILL	0	0
OTHER INTANGIBLES, NET	0	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	(5,513,528)	(5,476,852)
OTHER ASSETS	(18,611)	(19,028)
TOTAL ASSETS	(14,869,429)	(15,963,268)
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
Accounts payable	(400)	(232)
Accrued expenses	(5)	(5)
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	0	0
Total current liabilities	(405)	(237)
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLES	(9,336,887)	(10,467,152)
DEFERRED INCOME TAXES	0	0
ACQUISITION-RELATED CONTINGENT CONSIDERATION	0	0
LONG-TERM DEBT, LESS CURRENT PORTION, NET	0	0
OTHER LIABILITIES	(18,609)	(19,027)
Equity [Abstract]
Preferred Stock	0	0
Common Stock	(30,430)	(30,430)
Additional paid-in capital	(4,768,611)	(4,767,730)
Retained earnings (deficit)	(722,525)	(684,348)
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	8,038	5,656
Treasury stock	0	0
Total Endo Health Solutions Inc. stockholders' equity	(5,513,528)	(5,476,852)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total stockholders' equity	(5,513,528)	(5,476,852)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY	$ (14,869,429)	$ (15,963,268)