Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net product revenues	$ 96,630	$ 255,148	$ 659,690
Royalty revenues	71,205	53,859	0
Total net revenues	167,835	309,007	659,690
Operating expenses:
Cost of product revenues	71,347	119,931	233,330
Research and development	139,262	123,606	139,512
Selling, general and administrative	319,151	337,943	314,954
Total operating expenses	529,760	581,480	687,796
Loss from operations	(361,925)	(272,473)	(28,106)
Legal settlement	0	5,000	25,736
Co-promotion and license income	3,854	10,132	24,236
Gain on remeasurement of equity investment	0	22,597	0
Gain on sale of investment	0	19,773	0
Loss in equity investment	0	0	(1,711)
Gain on sale of assets	288,301	0	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(5,380)	0	0
Interest expense	(44,463)	(37,092)	(15,701)
Investment impairment	0	0	(7,500)
Other income	327	400	918
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes	(119,286)	(251,663)	(2,128)
(Provision) benefit for income taxes	(70)	29,743	2,309
Net (loss) income from continuing operations	(119,356)	(221,920)	181
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	184	(130,826)	(32,529)
Net loss	(119,172)	(352,746)	(32,348)
Net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interest	54	(10)	138
Net loss attributable to The Medicines Company	(119,118)	(352,756)	(32,210)
Amounts attributable to The Medicines Company:
Net (loss) income from continuing operations	(119,302)	(221,930)	319
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	184	(130,826)	(32,529)
Net loss attributable to The Medicines Company	$ (119,118)	$ (352,756)	$ (32,210)
Basic (loss) income per common share attributable to The Medicines Company:
(Loss) income from continuing operations (usd per share)	$ (1.71)	$ (3.32)	$ 0.00
Income (loss) from discontinued operations (usd per share)	0.00	(1.96)	(0.50)
Basic loss per share (usd per share)	(1.71)	(5.28)	(0.50)
Diluted (loss) income per common share attributable to The Medicines Company:
(Loss) income from continuing operations (usd per share)	(1.71)	(3.32)	0.00
Income (loss) from discontinued operations (usd per share)	0.00	(1.96)	(0.49)
Diluted loss per share (usd per share)	$ (1.71)	$ (5.28)	$ (0.49)
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic (shares)	69,909	66,809	64,473
Diluted (shares)	69,909	66,809	66,668