Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net product revenues	$ 18,980	$ 71,956	$ 240,688
Royalty revenues	25,809	71,205	53,859
Total net revenues	44,789	143,161	294,547
Operating expenses:
Cost of product revenues	47,193	60,653	103,986
Asset impairment charges	392,097	0	0
Research and development	138,370	92,107	90,388
Selling, general and administrative	132,225	212,482	285,300
Total operating expenses	709,885	365,242	479,674
Loss from operations	(665,096)	(222,081)	(185,127)
Legal settlement	0	0	5,000
Co-promotion and license income	7,549	3,854	10,132
Gain on remeasurement of equity investment	0	0	22,597
Gain on sale of investment	0	0	19,773
Gain on sale of assets	0	288,301	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0	(5,380)	0
Interest expense	(48,564)	(44,463)	(37,092)
Other income	1,840	346	188
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	(704,271)	20,577	(164,529)
Benefit from (provision for) income taxes	96,576	(67)	29,733
(Loss) income from continuing operations	(607,695)	20,510	(134,796)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(100,678)	(139,682)	(217,950)
Net loss	(708,373)	(119,172)	(352,746)
Net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interest	0	54	(10)
Net loss attributable to The Medicines Company	(708,373)	(119,118)	(352,756)
Amounts attributable to The Medicines Company:
(Loss) income from continuing operations	(607,695)	20,564	(134,806)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(100,678)	(139,682)	(217,950)
Net loss attributable to The Medicines Company	$ (708,373)	$ (119,118)	$ (352,756)
Basic (loss) earnings per common share attributable to The Medicines Company:
(Loss) earnings from continuing operations (usd per share)	$ (8.40)	$ 0.29	$ (2.02)
Loss from discontinued operations (usd per share)	(1.39)	(2.00)	(3.26)
Basic loss per share (usd per share)	(9.79)	(1.71)	(5.28)
Diluted (loss) earnings per common share attributable to The Medicines Company:
(Loss) earnings from continuing operations (usd per share)	(8.40)	0.28	(2.02)
Loss from discontinued operations (usd per share)	(1.39)	(1.91)	(3.26)
Diluted loss per share (usd per share)	$ (9.79)	$ (1.63)	$ (5.28)
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic (shares)	72,356	69,909	66,809
Diluted (shares)	72,356	73,022	66,809