2.4.0.82117100 - Disclosure - Contingenciestruefalsefalse1false falsefalseD2013Q2YTDhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0001113481duration2013-01-01T00:00:002013-06-30T00:00:001true 1mdco_ContingenciesAbstractmdco_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Contingencies [Abstract]2false 2us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureTextBlockus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboseLabel1falsefalsefalse00<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:18px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Contingencies</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;text-indent:18px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">The Company may be, from time to time, a party to various disputes and claims arising from normal business activities. The Company accrues for loss contingencies at the earliest date at which the Company deems that it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of such loss can be reasonably estimated.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;padding-left:48px;text-indent:18px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:justify;text-indent:18px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">The Company is party to the legal proceedings described in Part II, Item 1, Legal Proceedings, of this quarterly report, which are principally patent litigation matters. The Company has assessed such legal proceedings and does not believe that it is probable that a liability has been incurred or that the amount of any potential liability can be reasonably estimated. As a result, the Company did not record any loss contingencies for any of these matters. While it is not possible to determine the outcome of the matters described in Part II, Item 1, Legal Proceedings, of this quarterly report, the Company believes that, the resolution of all such matters will not have a material adverse effect on its consolidated financial position or liquidity, but could possibly be material to the Company's consolidated results of operations in any one accounting period.</font></div></div>falsefalsefalsenonnum:textBlockItemTypenaThe entire disclosure for commitments and contingencies.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.25) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6449706&loc=d3e16207-108621 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 460 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6398077&loc=d3e12565-110249 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14435-108349 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 440 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6394976&loc=d3e25287-109308 false0ContingenciesfalseContingenciesUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruefalsefalseSheethttp://www.themedicinescompany.com/role/Contingencies12