This element represents the upfront payment to acquire an asset.

No definition available.

Name:	bmy_Assetacquisitionpayment
Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This represents the amount of contingent development and regulatory milestone payments for an asset acquisition.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the total contingent development and regulatory milestone payments to be potentially received as consideration for the sale of a business.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the total contingent sales-based milestone payments to potentially be received as consideration for the sale of a business.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the upfront payment to acquire an entity, net of tax, charged to research and development expense.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	bmy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount classified as assets attributable to disposal group held for sale or disposed of, expected to be disposed of 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
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-SubTopic 20
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+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences and carryforwards that are expected to be realized or consumed after one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer, acquired at the acquisition date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
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- Definition

Gain (loss) from sale or disposal of an organization or integrated set of activities (for example, but not limited to, a partnership or corporation) engaged in providing a product or service in a commercial, industrial, or professional environment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash inflow associated with the amount received from the sale of a portion of the company's business, for example a segment, division, branch or other business, during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

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Period Type:	duration

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- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

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ACQUISITIONS AND DIVESTITURES ACQUISITIONS AND DIVESTITURES (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Divestitures
Assets held-for-sale			$ 134
Reckitt Benckiser Group [Member]
Divestitures
Proceeds from divestiture of businesses		$ 317
Gain on sale of business	$ 277
ViiV Healthcare [Member]
Divestitures
Proceeds from divestiture of businesses	350
Gain on sale of business	269
Contingent development and regulatory milestone payments to receive due to sale of business	1,100
Contingent sales-based milestone payments to receive due to sale of business	4,300
Cormorant Pharmaceuticals [Member]
Asset Acquisition [Line Items]
Asset acquisition payment	35
Contingent development and regulatory milestone payments to pay due to asset acquisition	485
Padlock Therapeutics, Inc. [Member]
Asset Acquisition [Line Items]
Asset acquisition payment	150
Contingent development and regulatory milestone payments to pay due to asset acquisition	450
Upfront payment allocated to research and development expenses	139
Deferred tax assets related to asset acquisition	$ 11