Acquisitions (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended						3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011 Branded Pharmaceuticals [Member] Penwest Pharmaceuticals Co [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Generics [Member] Qualitest [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Devices And Services [Member] AMS [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Devices And Services [Member] HealthTronics, Inc [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 AMS [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 AMS [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 HealthTronics, Inc [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 HealthTronics, Inc [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 HealthTronics, Inc [Member]	Jul. 12, 2010 HealthTronics, Inc [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Penwest Pharmaceuticals Co [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Penwest Pharmaceuticals Co [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Qualitest [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Qualitest [Member]
Date of acquisition of subsidiary										June 17, 2011		July 2, 2010				September 20, 2010		November 30, 2010
Total purchase price of acquired entity									$ 2,400,000,000	$ 2,400,000,000							$ 769,400,000	$ 769,400,000
Aggregate consideration, related to stock-based compensation awards and certain other amounts									71,600,000	71,600,000
Completion date of acquisition of subsidiary												July 12, 2010				November 4, 2010
Acquisition of subsidiary, purchase price per share									$ 30.00	$ 30.00	$ 4.85	$ 4.85
Aggregate cash consideration											214,800,000	214,800,000			171,800,000	171,800,000
Escrow amount used to fund working capital requirement																		8,000,000
Purchase price placed into escrow																	108,000,000	108,000,000
Escrow account used to fund all the claims																		100,000,000
Deferred tax assets related to federal net operating loss and credit carryforwards									15,400,000	15,400,000	46,500,000	46,500,000			30,200,000	30,200,000	68,300,000	68,300,000
Deferred tax liabilities									507,000,000	507,000,000	22,400,000	22,400,000			40,300,000	40,300,000	205,300,000	205,300,000
Goodwill assigned to segment					39,100,000	223,300,000	1,752,400,000	155,000,000
Goodwill expected to be deductible for income tax purposes									13,200,000	13,200,000	33,600,000	33,600,000			0	0	170,400,000	170,400,000
Acquisition-related costs	17,626,000	4,796,000	23,699,000	6,325,000					21,100,000	23,300,000	1,500,000	2,900,000			200,000	200,000	1,400,000	4,600,000
Percentage of common stock owned in subsidiary											100.00%	100.00%		100.00%
Approximate number procedures in the U.S using lithotripters													50,000
Remaining obligations under convertible notes									0	0
Business acquisition, outstanding debt paid											$ 40,000,000	$ 40,000,000					$ 406,800,000	$ 406,800,000
Product families																		175