DEFERRED INCOME (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Deferred Income [Abstract]
Alliances	$ 1,493bmy_DeferredUpfrontAndMilestonePayments	$ 1,418bmy_DeferredUpfrontAndMilestonePayments
Gain on sale-leaseback transactions	45	71
Other	399bmy_OtherDeferredIncome	36bmy_OtherDeferredIncome
Total deferred income	1,937us-gaap_DeferredRevenueAndCredits	1,525us-gaap_DeferredRevenueAndCredits
Current portion	1,167	756
Non-current portion	770	769
Deferred early access program	300bmy_DeferredEarlyAccessProgram
Amortization of deferred income	362bmy_DeferredIncomeRecognized	548bmy_DeferredIncomeRecognized	308bmy_DeferredIncomeRecognized
Deferred income included in liabilities related to assets held-for-sale		$ 3,671

The amount of deferred revenue related to an early access program as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	bmy_DeferredEarlyAccessProgram
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	bmy_DeferredIncomeAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of previously reported deferred income that was recognized during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bmy_DeferredIncomeRecognized
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of deferred income related to upfront, milestone and other licensing payments received from collaboration partners as of balance sheet date. These payments are recorded as a liability and are subsequently recognized into other income/expense ratably over the applicable amortization period as income is earned.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bmy_DeferredUpfrontAndMilestonePayments
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of deferred income attributable to disposal group, including current and non-current amounts as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bmy_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationDeferredIncome
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the total of other elements of deferred income that are not separately disclosed.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bmy_OtherDeferredIncome
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredRevenueAndCredits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Total carrying amount of consideration received or receivable as of the balance sheet date on potential earnings that were not recognized as revenue or other forms of income in conformity with GAAP, and which are expected to be recognized as such within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

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 210.5-02.20)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 13

-Section A

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 605

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 13.A.Q4)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012821&loc=d3e214044-122780

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredRevenueAndCreditsCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Total carrying amount of consideration received or receivable as of the balance sheet date representing potential earnings that were not as yet recognized as revenue or other forms of income in conformity with GAAP, and which are expected to be recognized as such after one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 13

-Section A

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.26)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 605

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 13.A.Q4)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012821&loc=d3e214044-122780

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredRevenueAndCreditsNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The portion of the gain that will be recorded as income or a reduction in rent expense in future periods less amounts recognized in the current period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 840

-SubTopic 40

-Section 35

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=21918046&loc=d3e50609-112754

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SaleLeasebackTransactionDeferredGainNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant