The Company and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared following the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for interim reporting. As permitted under those rules, certain footnotes and other financial information that are normally required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or U.S. GAAP, can be condensed or omitted. The information included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with our annual consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017. In the opinion of management, these condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the annual consolidated financial statements and include all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, considered necessary for the fair presentation of our financial position and operating results. The results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2018, for any other interim period or for any future period. Except for the revenue recognition accounting policy that was updated as a result of adopting Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers”, or ASU No. 2014-09, our significant accounting policies have not changed substantially from those previously described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017. These condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc and our subsidiaries, and intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. Our operating segment is reported in a manner consistent with the internal reporting provided to the chief operating decision maker, or CODM. Our CODM has been identified as our chief executive officer. We have determined that we operate in one business segment, which is the identification, development and commercialization of meaningful pharmaceutical products that address unmet medical needs.
Use of Estimates	Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosures in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Management bases its estimates on historical experience and on assumptions believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.
Adoption of New Accounting Standards and Recent Accounting Pronouncements	Adoption of New Accounting Standards In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, issued ASU No. 2014-09. The standard states that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. To achieve this, an entity will need to identify the contract with a customer; identify the separate performance obligations in the contract; determine the transaction price; allocate the transaction price to the separate performance obligations in the contract; and recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies each performance obligation. We adopted ASU No. 2014-09 on January 1, 2018 on a modified retrospective basis. The adoption of ASU No. 2014-09 did not have a material impact on our results of operations and financial position as the timing of revenue recognition for product sales, net, which is our primary revenue stream, did not change. Refer to Note 12, Revenues, for revenue-related disclosures. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments”. ASU No. 2016-15 addresses how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. We adopted this standard on January 1, 2018 and adoption did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory” which requires an entity to recognize the income tax consequences of an intra-entity asset transfer, other than an intra-entity asset transfer of inventory, when the transfer occurs. We adopted this standard on January 1, 2018 on a modified retrospective basis and adoption did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01, “Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business” which provides clarification on the definition of a business and adds guidance to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. We adopted this standard on January 1, 2018. In the second quarter of 2018, we entered into an asset purchase agreement, or APA, with TerSera Therapeutics LLC, or TerSera, whereby TerSera will purchase substantially all of our assets related to the manufacture, marketing and sale of Prialt^®(ziconotide) intrathecal infusion. We determined that the disposal group did not constitute a business under the new guidance. Refer to Note 15, Assets Held for Sale, for further information on the sale of our rights to Prialt. In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-12, “Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities”. ASU No. 2017-12 amends and simplifies existing guidance in order to allow companies to more accurately present the economic effects of risk management activities in their financial statements. ASU No. 2017-12 is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. We elected to early adopt this standard on January 1, 2018 on a modified retrospective basis. Adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. Recent Accounting Pronouncements In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, “Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment” which simplifies the accounting for goodwill impairment by eliminating Step 2 of the current goodwill impairment test. Goodwill impairment will now be the amount by which the reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, limited to the carrying value of the goodwill. The standard is effective for us beginning January 1, 2020. Early adoption is permitted for any impairment tests performed after January 1, 2017. The new guidance is not expected to have a material impact on our results of operations and financial position. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)”. Under the new guidance, lessees will be required to recognize a right-of-use asset, which represents the lessee’s right to use, or control the use of, a specified asset for the lease term, and a corresponding lease liability, which represents the lessee’s obligation to make lease payments under a lease, measured on a discounted basis. ASU No. 2016-02 is effective beginning January 1, 2019 and early adoption is permitted. ASU No. 2016-02 must be adopted on a modified retrospective transition basis at the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the consolidated financial statements or at the adoption date. The adoption of ASU No. 2016-02 will result in a significant increase in our consolidated balance sheet for right-of-use assets and lease liabilities. While we are continuing to assess all potential impacts of the standard, we currently believe the most significant impact relates to our accounting for the lease agreements we entered into in January 2015 and September 2017 to lease office space located in Palo Alto, California in buildings constructed or to be constructed by the landlord, which are accounted for as build-to-suit arrangements under existing accounting standards, and the lease agreement we entered into in August 2016 for office space in Dublin, Ireland. The future minimum lease payments under these leases at June 30, 2018 were $210.6 million. Based on our initial evaluation of the impact of ASU No. 2016-02 on our build-to-suit facility leases, we expect to de-recognize existing build-to-suit assets and liabilities upon the adoption of ASU No. 2016-02.
Revenue Recognition	Revenue Recognition Our revenue comprises product sales, net and royalty and contract revenues. Revenues are recognized when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to our customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. Prior to recognizing revenue, we make estimates of the transaction price, including variable consideration that is subject to a constraint. Amounts of variable consideration are included in the transaction price to the extent that it is probable that a significant reversal in the amount of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur when the uncertainty associated with the variable consideration is subsequently resolved. Product Sales, Net Product sales revenue is recognized when control has transferred to the customer, which occurs at a point in time, which is typically on delivery to the customer or, in the case of products that are subject to consignment agreements, when the customer removes product from our consigned inventory location for shipment directly to a patient. Reserves for Variable Consideration Revenues from sales of products are recorded at the net sales price, which includes estimates of variable consideration for which reserves are established and which relate to returns, specialty distributor fees, wholesaler fees, prompt payment discounts, government rebates, government chargebacks, coupon programs and rebates under managed care plans. Calculating certain of these reserves involves estimates and judgments and we determine their expected value based on sales or invoice data, contractual terms, historical utilization rates, new information regarding changes in these programs’ regulations and guidelines that would impact the amount of the actual rebates, our expectations regarding future utilization rates for these programs and channel inventory data. These reserves reflect our best estimates of the amount of consideration to which we are entitled based on the terms of the contract. The amount of variable consideration that is included in the transaction price may be constrained, and is included in the net sales price only to the extent that it is probable that a significant reversal in the amount of the cumulative revenue recognized will not occur in a future period. We reassess our reserves for variable consideration at each reporting date. Historically, adjustments to estimates for these reserves have not been material. Reserves for returns, specialty distributor fees, wholesaler fees, government rebates, coupon programs and rebates under managed care plans are included within current liabilities in our condensed consolidated balance sheets. Reserves for government chargebacks and prompt payment discounts are shown as a reduction in accounts receivable. Royalties and Contract Revenues We enter into out-licensing agreements under which we license certain rights to our products or product candidates to third parties. If a licensing arrangement includes multiple goods or services, we consider whether the license is distinct. If the license to our intellectual property is determined to be distinct from the other performance obligations identified in the arrangement, we recognize revenue from non-refundable, upfront fees allocated to the license when the license is transferred to the licensee and the licensee is able to use and benefit from the license. If the license to our intellectual property is determined not to be distinct, it is combined with other goods or services into a combined performance obligation. We consider whether the combined performance obligation is satisfied over time or at a point in time and, if over time, the appropriate method of measuring progress for purposes of recognizing revenue from non-refundable, upfront fees. We evaluate the measure of progress each reporting date and, if necessary, adjust the measure of performance and related revenue recognition. At the inception of each arrangement that includes development milestone payments, we evaluate whether the milestones are considered probable of being reached and estimate the amount to be included in the transaction price using the most likely amount method. If it is probable that a significant revenue reversal would not occur, the associated milestone value is included in the transaction price. Milestone payments that are not within our control or that of the licensee, such as regulatory approvals, are not considered probable of being achieved until those approvals are received. The transaction price is allocated to each performance obligation on a relative stand-alone selling price basis, for which we recognize revenue as or when the performance obligations under the contract are satisfied. At the end of each subsequent reporting period, we re-evaluate the probability of achievement of such development milestones and any related constraint, and if necessary, adjust our estimate of the overall transaction price. For arrangements that include sales-based royalties and milestone payments based on the level of sales, and the license is deemed to be the predominant item to which the royalties and sales-based milestones relate, we recognize revenue at the later of (i) when the related sales occur, or (ii) when the performance obligation to which some or all of the royalty or sales-based milestone has been allocated has been satisfied (or partially satisfied).
Significant Risks and Uncertainties	Significant Risks and Uncertainties Our financial results are significantly influenced by sales of Xyrem. Our ability to maintain or increase Xyrem product sales is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, the potential U.S. introduction of a generic version of Xyrem before the entry dates specified in our settlements with certain abbreviated new drug application, or ANDA, filers or on terms that are different from those contemplated by the settlement agreements; the potential U.S. introduction of new products that compete with, or otherwise disrupt the market for, Xyrem in the treatment of cataplexy and/or excessive daytime sleepiness in narcolepsy; ongoing patent litigation and related proceedings or the possibility of new ANDA filers and challenges; changes to or uncertainties around regulatory restrictions, including, among other things, changes to our Xyrem risk evaluation and mitigation strategy, or REMS; changes in healthcare laws and policy, including changes in requirements for patient assistance programs, rebates, reimbursement and coverage by federal healthcare programs, and changes resulting from increased scrutiny on pharmaceutical pricing and REMS programs by government entities; operational disruptions at the Xyrem central pharmacy or any failure to comply with our REMS obligations to the satisfaction of the FDA; and continued acceptance of Xyrem by physicians and patients. In addition to risks related specifically to Xyrem, we are subject to other challenges and risks specific to our business and our ability to execute on our strategy, as well as risks and uncertainties common to companies in the pharmaceutical industry with development and commercial operations, including, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with: effectively commercializing our other products and product candidates; pharmaceutical product development and the inherent uncertainty of clinical success; the regulatory approval process; the challenges of protecting and enhancing our intellectual property rights; our dependence on sole source suppliers for most of our products, including delays or problems in the supply or manufacture of our products and product candidates; competition; complying with applicable regulatory requirements; changes in healthcare laws and policy and related reforms; government investigations and other actions; obtaining and maintaining appropriate pricing and reimbursement for our products; business combination or product or product candidate acquisition transactions; and possible restrictions on our ability and flexibility to pursue certain future opportunities as a result of our substantial outstanding debt obligations.
Concentrations of Risk	Concentrations of Risk Financial instruments that potentially subject us to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash, cash equivalents, investments and derivative contracts. Our investment policy permits investments in U.S. federal government and federal agency securities, corporate bonds or commercial paper issued by U.S. corporations, money market instruments, certain qualifying money market mutual funds, certain repurchase agreements, and tax-exempt obligations of U.S. states, agencies and municipalities and places restrictions on credit ratings, maturities, and concentration by type and issuer. We are exposed to credit risk in the event of a default by the financial institutions holding our cash, cash equivalents and investments to the extent recorded on the balance sheet. We manage our foreign currency transaction risk and interest rate risk within specified guidelines through the use of derivatives. All of our derivative instruments are utilized for risk management purposes, and we do not use derivatives for speculative trading purposes. As of June 30, 2018, we had foreign exchange forward contracts with notional amounts totaling $162.5 million. As of June 30, 2018, the net liability fair value of outstanding foreign exchange forward contracts was $5.3 million. As of June 30, 2018, we had interest rate swap contracts with notional amounts totaling $300.0 million. These outstanding interest rate swap contracts had a fair value of $7.0 million as of June 30, 2018. The counterparties to these contracts are large multinational commercial banks, and we believe the risk of nonperformance is not material. We are also subject to credit risk from our accounts receivable related to our product sales. We monitor our exposure within accounts receivable and record a reserve against uncollectible accounts receivable as necessary. We extend credit to pharmaceutical wholesale distributors and specialty pharmaceutical distribution companies, primarily in the U.S., and to other international distributors and hospitals. Customer creditworthiness is monitored and collateral is not required. We monitor deteriorating economic conditions in certain European countries which may result in variability of the timing of cash receipts and an increase in the average length of time that it takes to collect accounts receivable outstanding.