<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<xbrl
  xmlns="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance"
  xmlns:bmy="http://bms.com/20240507"
  xmlns:dei="http://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2023"
  xmlns:link="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase"
  xmlns:us-gaap="http://fasb.org/us-gaap/2023"
  xmlns:xbrldi="http://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldi"
  xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">
    <link:schemaRef xlink:href="bmy-20240507.xsd" xlink:type="simple"/>
    <context id="c20240507to20240507">
        <entity>
            <identifier scheme="http://www.sec.gov/CIK">0000014272</identifier>
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        <period>
            <startDate>2024-05-07</startDate>
            <endDate>2024-05-07</endDate>
        </period>
    </context>
    <context id="c20240507to20240507_StatementClassOfStockAxis_CelgeneContingentValueRightsMember">
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            <identifier scheme="http://www.sec.gov/CIK">0000014272</identifier>
            <segment>
                <xbrldi:explicitMember dimension="us-gaap:StatementClassOfStockAxis">bmy:CelgeneContingentValueRightsMember</xbrldi:explicitMember>
            </segment>
        </entity>
        <period>
            <startDate>2024-05-07</startDate>
            <endDate>2024-05-07</endDate>
        </period>
    </context>
    <context id="c20240507to20240507_StatementClassOfStockAxis_One000NotesDue2025Member">
        <entity>
            <identifier scheme="http://www.sec.gov/CIK">0000014272</identifier>
            <segment>
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        </entity>
        <period>
            <startDate>2024-05-07</startDate>
            <endDate>2024-05-07</endDate>
        </period>
    </context>
    <context id="c20240507to20240507_StatementClassOfStockAxis_One750NotesDue2035Member">
        <entity>
            <identifier scheme="http://www.sec.gov/CIK">0000014272</identifier>
            <segment>
                <xbrldi:explicitMember dimension="us-gaap:StatementClassOfStockAxis">bmy:One750NotesDue2035Member</xbrldi:explicitMember>
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        </entity>
        <period>
            <startDate>2024-05-07</startDate>
            <endDate>2024-05-07</endDate>
        </period>
    </context>
    <context id="c20240507to20240507_StatementClassOfStockAxis_CommonStockMember">
        <entity>
            <identifier scheme="http://www.sec.gov/CIK">0000014272</identifier>
            <segment>
                <xbrldi:explicitMember dimension="us-gaap:StatementClassOfStockAxis">us-gaap:CommonStockMember</xbrldi:explicitMember>
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        </entity>
        <period>
            <startDate>2024-05-07</startDate>
            <endDate>2024-05-07</endDate>
        </period>
    </context>
    <dei:AmendmentFlag
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507"
      id="Fact_3db8319c87824146845ee7d4662dc795">false</dei:AmendmentFlag>
    <dei:CurrentFiscalYearEndDate
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507"
      id="Fact_71081800dcb14979ba8ee9244a695bd8">--12-31</dei:CurrentFiscalYearEndDate>
    <dei:EntityCentralIndexKey
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507"
      id="Fact_c29ef34c4d50450d8c2955021d82999f">0000014272</dei:EntityCentralIndexKey>
    <dei:DocumentType
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507"
      id="Fact_9d74fccb0b424aadba42e3ead0faa93f">8-K</dei:DocumentType>
    <dei:DocumentPeriodEndDate
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507"
      id="Fact_54048e79fccd4456a2a9f321757de036">2024-05-07</dei:DocumentPeriodEndDate>
    <dei:EntityRegistrantName
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507"
      id="Fact_89448a3dfacc4020b7d23965a012397e">BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB COMPANY</dei:EntityRegistrantName>
    <dei:EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507"
      id="Fact_1b96fb86a7d84c9cb4883a363f2725e6">DE</dei:EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode>
    <dei:EntityFileNumber
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507"
      id="Fact_a4b163261b91471495d31ae1b2ab0212">1-1136</dei:EntityFileNumber>
    <dei:EntityTaxIdentificationNumber
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507"
      id="Fact_377dbb66bad34882b69c98d183001e8c">22-0790350</dei:EntityTaxIdentificationNumber>
    <dei:EntityAddressAddressLine1
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507"
      id="Fact_1a2be9b7a40841189ac7c04b884c5055">Route 206 &amp; Province Line Road</dei:EntityAddressAddressLine1>
    <dei:EntityAddressCityOrTown
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507"
      id="Fact_2d2bba395ded4b3fadaf41d18d93c11d">Princeton</dei:EntityAddressCityOrTown>
    <dei:EntityAddressStateOrProvince
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507"
      id="Fact_765e677c39be41fc8673dfc97fcf442e">NJ</dei:EntityAddressStateOrProvince>
    <dei:EntityAddressPostalZipCode
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507"
      id="Fact_1e0fc761f1b5415c80abc62e57210391">08543</dei:EntityAddressPostalZipCode>
    <dei:CityAreaCode
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507"
      id="Fact_208173ba0a1b45ed8ae1549bb274905c">609</dei:CityAreaCode>
    <dei:LocalPhoneNumber
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507"
      id="Fact_d039f048befb42ecb6ebd2c7d8391bcf">252-4621</dei:LocalPhoneNumber>
    <dei:WrittenCommunications
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507"
      id="Fact_960f24cdb0e04fa98dd1b780352c7b5a">false</dei:WrittenCommunications>
    <dei:SolicitingMaterial
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507"
      id="Fact_0df722cdcdf14f7fbe89f5e8425782b8">false</dei:SolicitingMaterial>
    <dei:PreCommencementTenderOffer
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507"
      id="Fact_2a7ffa3e90c8422e8a94f1569d1dd233">false</dei:PreCommencementTenderOffer>
    <dei:PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507"
      id="Fact_a9f2800b69654b16af1dd1057901b766">false</dei:PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer>
    <dei:Security12bTitle
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507_StatementClassOfStockAxis_CommonStockMember"
      id="Fact_dcb7cc60a048434fa0b06fc523686bf0">Common Stock, $0.10 Par Value</dei:Security12bTitle>
    <dei:TradingSymbol
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507_StatementClassOfStockAxis_CommonStockMember"
      id="Fact_6f224e5378aa4be7981f464f51045e64">BMY</dei:TradingSymbol>
    <dei:SecurityExchangeName
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507_StatementClassOfStockAxis_CommonStockMember"
      id="Fact_e6bcf532762e4595912d09b34c4a7b6c">NYSE</dei:SecurityExchangeName>
    <dei:Security12bTitle
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507_StatementClassOfStockAxis_One000NotesDue2025Member"
      id="Fact_d1f5c66640134ef49237c987ef41861a">1.000% Notes due 2025</dei:Security12bTitle>
    <dei:TradingSymbol
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507_StatementClassOfStockAxis_One000NotesDue2025Member"
      id="Fact_08db494b77954832824f77845c51ded7">BMY25</dei:TradingSymbol>
    <dei:SecurityExchangeName
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507_StatementClassOfStockAxis_One000NotesDue2025Member"
      id="Fact_672229112b6441dba2c5806888189455">NYSE</dei:SecurityExchangeName>
    <dei:Security12bTitle
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507_StatementClassOfStockAxis_One750NotesDue2035Member"
      id="Fact_5077ad06ecba41d1a16faa128d638aef">1.750% Notes due 2035</dei:Security12bTitle>
    <dei:TradingSymbol
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507_StatementClassOfStockAxis_One750NotesDue2035Member"
      id="Fact_68470a6f820347a0852491a2405b8148">BMY35</dei:TradingSymbol>
    <dei:SecurityExchangeName
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507_StatementClassOfStockAxis_One750NotesDue2035Member"
      id="Fact_7a41907aa3514c9386ad82c37bfaf529">NYSE</dei:SecurityExchangeName>
    <dei:Security12bTitle
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507_StatementClassOfStockAxis_CelgeneContingentValueRightsMember"
      id="Fact_8a8a1184b4304f4b94b93434b042e308">Celgene Contingent Value Rights</dei:Security12bTitle>
    <dei:TradingSymbol
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507_StatementClassOfStockAxis_CelgeneContingentValueRightsMember"
      id="Fact_834e6ffd567b4d37b126f0c3daed8561">CELG RT</dei:TradingSymbol>
    <dei:SecurityExchangeName
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507_StatementClassOfStockAxis_CelgeneContingentValueRightsMember"
      id="Fact_48ad1bcfeba74bcb9786b079e73fe8fb">NYSE</dei:SecurityExchangeName>
    <dei:EntityEmergingGrowthCompany
      contextRef="c20240507to20240507"
      id="Fact_9bd951e3b0494d62b3e53ea3cf1223b5">false</dei:EntityEmergingGrowthCompany>
</xbrl>
