Represents percentage of cash consideration in aggregate purchase price.

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Represents percentage of share consideration in aggregate purchase price.

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Represents the purchase price payment which can be made fully in cash

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Represents the purchase price payment which can be made fully in fair market value of shares of acquirer's common stock.

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Represents the purchase price payment which can be made partly in cash.

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Represents the purchase price payment which can be made partly in fair market value of shares of acquirer's common stock.

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Represents the initial upfront payment made by the entity in accordance with collaborative arrangements.

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The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of business during the period to pay to the stockholders of acquiree business. One of the cash portion only of the acquisition price.

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No definition available.

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The cash outflow to settle vested stock-based awards associated with the acquisition during the period.

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Payment made per a collaboration agreement for joint development and commercialization of a specified product.

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Represents the maximum period of valuation.

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The amount of additional payments that could be required for the achievement of certain milestones under a product agreement during the period.

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Amount of consideration transferred, consisting of acquisition-date fair value of assets transferred by the acquirer, liabilities incurred by the acquirer, and equity interest issued by the acquirer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
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Amount of equity interests of the acquirer, including instruments or interests issued or issuable in consideration for the business combination.

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The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of business during the period. The cash portion only of the acquisition price.

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The amount of the write-off for research and development assets that were acquired in a transaction other than a business combination.

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The aggregate costs incurred (1) in a planned search or critical investigation aimed at discovery of new knowledge with the hope that such knowledge will be useful in developing a new product or service, a new process or technique, or in bringing about a significant improvement to an existing product or process; or (2) to translate research findings or other knowledge into a plan or design for a new product or process or for a significant improvement to an existing product or process whether intended for sale or the entity's use, during the reporting period charged to research and development projects, including the costs of developing computer software up to the point in time of achieving technological feasibility, and costs allocated in accounting for a business combination to in-process projects deemed to have no alternative future use.

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Number of shares of stock issued during the period pursuant to acquisitions.

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Licensing, Acquisitions and Other Arrangements (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended					12 Months Ended
	May. 26, 2015	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Collaborations and Other Arrangements
Acquired in-process research and development								$ 150	$ 352	$ 338
Ablynx NV
Collaborations and Other Arrangements
Acquired in-process research and development		$ 175
Galapagos NV
Collaborations and Other Arrangements
Acquired in-process research and development		$ 45
Other arrangements
Collaborations and Other Arrangements
Acquired in-process research and development								50	77	$ 48
Calico Life Sciences LLC
Collaborations and Other Arrangements
Payments to collaborators for joint development and commercialization of specified products						$ 250
Initial upfront payment								500	$ 250
Research and development expense					$ 500
C2N Diagnostics
Collaborations and Other Arrangements
Initial upfront payment				$ 100
Infinity Pharmaceuticals Inc
Collaborations and Other Arrangements
Payments to collaborators for joint development and commercialization of specified products			$ 83			$ 173
Maximum
Collaborations and Other Arrangements
Payments for achievement of certain milestones under an agreement								1,200
Maximum \| Ablynx NV
Collaborations and Other Arrangements
Payments for achievement of certain milestones under an agreement								665
Maximum \| Galapagos NV
Collaborations and Other Arrangements
Payments for achievement of certain milestones under an agreement								$ 360
Research And Development Expense \| Alvine Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Collaborations and Other Arrangements
Initial upfront payment							$ 70
Pharmacyclics Inc
Collaborations and Other Arrangements
Percentage of cash consideration	58.00%
Percentage of share consideration	42.00%
Shares issued as consideration	128
Cash consideration paid	$ 12,400
Fair value of AbbVie common stock issued to Pharmacyclics stockholders	8,405
Cash consideration paid to Pharmacyclics stockholders	11,749
Cash consideration paid to Pharmacyclics equity award holders	616
Total consideration	$ 20,770
Maximum period of valuation	1 year
Pharmacyclics Inc \| Scenario One
Collaborations and Other Arrangements
Purchase price payment partly in cash (in dollars per share)	$ 152.25
Purchase price payment partly in fair market value of shares of acquirer's common stock (in dollars per share)	109.00
Pharmacyclics Inc \| Scenario Two
Collaborations and Other Arrangements
Purchase price payment fully in cash (in dollars per share)	261.25
Pharmacyclics Inc \| Scenario Three
Collaborations and Other Arrangements
Purchase price payment fully in fair market value of shares of acquirer's common stock (in dollars per share)	$ 261.25