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Licensing, Acquisitions and Other Arrangements (Details 3) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended						12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Acquisitions
Cash outflows related to other acquisitions and investments								$ 964	$ 622	$ 405
Cash outflows related to acquisitions and investments								11,488
Acquired in-process research and development								150	352	338
Pro forma combined results of operations
Net revenues								23,215	20,690
Net earnings								$ 5,345	$ 812
Basic earnings per share								$ 3.18	$ 0.47
Diluted earnings per share								$ 3.16	$ 0.47
C2N Diagnostics
Acquisitions
Initial upfront payment					$ 100
Additional payment		$ 685						$ 685
Calico Life Sciences LLC
Acquisitions
Initial upfront payment								$ 500	$ 250
Research and development expense						$ 500
Research and early development term								5 years
Advance collaboration projects term								10 years
Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher From United Therapeutics Corporation
Acquisitions
Research and development expense			$ 350
Research And Development Expense \| Alvine Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Acquisitions
Initial upfront payment							$ 70
Research And Development Expense \| Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Acquisitions
Additional payment		400						$ 400
Research and development expense								130
Research And Development Expense \| Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher From United Therapeutics Corporation
Acquisitions
Research and development expense								350
IPR&D
Acquisitions
Research and development expense								150	352	$ 338
IPR&D \| C2N Diagnostics
Acquisitions
Initial upfront payment								$ 100
IPR&D \| Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Acquisitions
Initial upfront payment									275
Other Expense \| Calico Life Sciences LLC
Acquisitions
Payments relating to collaboration									750
Pharmacyclics Inc
Termination of Combination with Shire
Acquisition-related and financing-related costs		$ 68	$ 85	$ 215	41
Shire plc
Termination of Combination with Shire
Acquisition-related and financing-related costs									1,800
Break fee	$ 1,600					$ 1,600
Foreign exchange loss associated with forward contracts					170				490
Shire plc \| Selling General And Administrative Expenses
Termination of Combination with Shire
Acquisition-related and financing-related costs									1,700
Shire plc \| Interest Expense
Termination of Combination with Shire
Acquisition-related and financing-related costs									141
Foreign currency forward exchange contracts \| Shire plc
Termination of Combination with Shire
Foreign exchange loss associated with forward contracts					$ 170				$ 666