Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net product revenues	$ 30,324	$ 74,519	$ 61,699	$ 184,634
Royalty revenues	24,407	0	43,338	0
Total net revenues	54,731	74,519	105,037	184,634
Operating expenses:
Cost of revenue	15,230	24,756	34,027	45,294
Research and development	37,567	33,035	71,058	56,318
Selling, general and administrative	94,158	93,309	173,456	174,094
Total operating expenses	146,955	151,100	278,541	275,706
Loss from operations	(92,224)	(76,581)	(173,504)	(91,072)
Co-promotion and license income	1,341	638	2,316	9,026
Gain on remeasurement of equity investment	0	0	0	22,597
Gain on sale of investment	0	19,773	0	19,773
Gain on sale of assets	288,301	0	288,301	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(5,380)	0	(5,380)	0
Interest expense	(10,363)	(9,348)	(20,109)	(17,963)
Other income (loss)	138	231	(124)	698
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	181,813	(65,287)	91,500	(56,941)
Provision for income taxes	(11)	(2,105)	(57)	(6,106)
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	181,802	(67,392)	91,443	(63,047)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	619	20,853	(1,486)	21,514
Net income (loss)	182,421	(46,539)	89,957	(41,533)
Net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interest	21	(53)	37	(25)
Net income (loss) attributable to The Medicines Company	182,442	(46,592)	89,994	(41,558)
Amounts attributable to The Medicines Company:
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	181,823	(67,445)	91,480	(63,072)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	619	20,853	(1,486)	21,514
Net income (loss) attributable to The Medicines Company	$ 182,442	$ (46,592)	$ 89,994	$ (41,558)
Basic earnings (loss) per common share attributable to The Medicines Company:
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations (USD per share)	$ 2.61	$ (1.02)	$ 1.32	$ (0.96)
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations (USD per share)	0.01	0.31	(0.02)	0.33
Basic earnings (loss) per share (USD per share)	2.62	(0.71)	1.30	(0.63)
Diluted earnings (loss) per common share attributable to The Medicines Company:
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations (USD per share)	2.51	(1.02)	1.27	(0.96)
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations (USD per share)	0.01	0.31	(0.02)	0.33
Diluted earnings (loss) per share (USD per share)	$ 2.52	$ (0.71)	$ 1.25	$ (0.63)
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic (shares)	69,711	65,903	69,464	65,541
Diluted (shares)	72,509	65,903	72,312	65,541