SELECTED QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Selected Quarterly Data [Line Items]
Total Revenues	$ 4,287	$ 4,069	$ 4,163	$ 4,041	$ 4,258	$ 3,921	$ 3,889	$ 3,811	$ 16,560	$ 15,879	$ 16,385
Gross Margin	3,335	2,972	3,150	3,194	3,292	2,914	2,898	2,843	12,651	11,947
Net Earnings	(188)	730	(110)	1,199	27	732	334	936	1,631	2,029	2,580
Net Earnings/(Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	9	24	20	13	14	11	1	(1)	66	25	17
Net Earnings/(Loss) Attributable to BMS	$ (197)	$ 706	$ (130)	$ 1,186	$ 13	$ 721	$ 333	$ 937	$ 1,565	$ 2,004	$ 2,563
Earnings per Share - Basic	$ (0.12)	$ 0.42	$ (0.08)	$ 0.71	$ 0.01	$ 0.43	$ 0.20	$ 0.57	$ 0.94	$ 1.21	$ 1.56
Earnings per Share - Diluted	(0.12)	0.42	(0.08)	0.71	0.01	0.43	0.20	0.56	0.93	1.20	1.54
Cash dividends declared per common share	$ 0.38	$ 0.37	$ 0.37	$ 0.37	$ 0.37	$ 0.36	$ 0.36	$ 0.36	$ 1.49	$ 1.45	$ 1.41
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 2,385	$ 3,975	$ 4,199	$ 6,294	$ 5,571	$ 4,851	$ 4,282	$ 5,225	$ 2,385	$ 5,571	$ 3,586	$ 1,656
Marketable securities	6,545	6,065	5,909	5,592	6,272	6,698	6,769	5,392	6,545	6,272
Total Assets	31,748	31,779	31,954	33,579	33,749	33,450	33,503	33,424	31,748	33,749
Long-term debt	6,550	6,632	6,615	7,127	7,242	7,267	7,372	7,367	6,550	7,242
Equity	14,424	15,273	15,291	15,689	14,983	15,201	15,379	15,531	14,424	14,983
Cost of products sold	10	15	25	34	31	36	39	45	84	151
Marketing, selling and administrative	4	2	3	1	1	98	3	3	10	105
Research and development	741	109	871	162	50	65	458	48	1,883	621
Other (income)/expense	428	(227)	237	(122)	850	(203)	67	(88)	316	626
Increase/(decrease) to pretax income	1,183	(101)	1,136	75	932	(4)	567	8	2,293	1,503
Income tax on items above	(339)	43	(116)	(68)	(297)	33	(102)	(179)	(480)	(545)
Specified tax charge					123					123
Income taxes - specified items					(174)	33	(102)	(179)		(422)
Increase/(decrease) to Net Earnings	844	(58)	1,020	7	758	29	465	(171)	1,813	1,081
License and asset acquisition charges
Selected Quarterly Data [Line Items]
Increase/(decrease) to pretax income	554	94	869	162	50	65	148	15	1,679	278
In Process Research And Development Impairment [Member]
Selected Quarterly Data [Line Items]
Increase/(decrease) to pretax income	160						310	33	160	343
Other [Member]
Selected Quarterly Data [Line Items]
Increase/(decrease) to pretax income	27	15	2						44
Provision For Restructuring [Member]
Selected Quarterly Data [Line Items]
Increase/(decrease) to pretax income	65	10	28	12	91	35	16	21	115	163
(Gain)/Loss On Sale Of Businesses, Product Lines And Assets [Member]
Selected Quarterly Data [Line Items]
Increase/(decrease) to pretax income	171	(198)	(8)	(152)	3	(315)	12	(259)	(187)	(559)
Pension Charges [Member]
Selected Quarterly Data [Line Items]
Increase/(decrease) to pretax income	49	48	36	27	740	28	45	64	160	877
Acquisition and alliance related items [Member]
Selected Quarterly Data [Line Items]
Increase/(decrease) to pretax income		$ (87)		(36)		39	17	16	(123)	72
Litigation and Other Settlements [Member]
Selected Quarterly Data [Line Items]
Increase/(decrease) to pretax income	$ 143		1	14	15	10	(23)	25	158	27
Out-licensed Intangible Asset Impairment [Member]
Selected Quarterly Data [Line Items]
Increase/(decrease) to pretax income				$ 13	11				13	11
Loss On Debt Redemption [Member]
Selected Quarterly Data [Line Items]
Increase/(decrease) to pretax income			$ 180					45	$ 180	45
Additional year of Branded Prescription Drug Fee [Member]
Selected Quarterly Data [Line Items]
Increase/(decrease) to pretax income						96				96
Process Standardization Implementation Costs [Member]
Selected Quarterly Data [Line Items]
Increase/(decrease) to pretax income					1	2	$ 3	$ 3		9
Upfront, milestone and other licensing receipts [Member]
Selected Quarterly Data [Line Items]
Increase/(decrease) to pretax income					$ (10)					$ (10)
Additional year of Branded Prescription Drug Fee included in acquisition and alliance related items [Member]
Selected Quarterly Data [Line Items]
Increase/(decrease) to pretax income						$ 16