Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions													3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Nov. 01, 2019	Sep. 06, 2019	Jun. 20, 2019	Feb. 21, 2019	Nov. 02, 2018	Sep. 07, 2018	Jun. 14, 2018	Feb. 15, 2018	Oct. 27, 2017	Sep. 08, 2017	Jun. 22, 2017	Feb. 16, 2017	Dec. 31, 2019		Sep. 30, 2019		Jun. 30, 2019		Mar. 31, 2019		Dec. 31, 2018		Sep. 30, 2018		Jun. 30, 2018		Mar. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Quarterly Financial Data
Net revenues													$ 8,704		$ 8,479		$ 8,255		$ 7,828		$ 8,305		$ 8,236		$ 8,278		$ 7,934		$ 33,266	$ 32,753	$ 28,216
Gross margin													6,698		6,559		6,436		6,134		6,283		6,401		6,344		6,007
Net earnings													$ 2,801	[1]	$ 1,884	[2]	$ 741	[3]	$ 2,456	[4]	$ (1,826)	[1]	$ 2,747	[2]	$ 1,983	[3]	$ 2,783	[4]	$ 7,882	$ 5,687	$ 5,309
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)													$ 1.88		$ 1.27		$ 0.49		$ 1.65		$ (1.23)		$ 1.81		$ 1.26		$ 1.74		$ 5.30	$ 3.67	$ 3.31
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)													1.88		1.26		0.49		1.65		(1.23)		1.81		1.26		1.74		5.28	3.66	3.30
Cash dividends declared per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.18	$ 1.07	$ 1.07	$ 1.07	$ 1.07	$ 0.96	$ 0.96	$ 0.96	$ 0.71	$ 0.64	$ 0.64	$ 0.64	$ 1.18		$ 1.07		$ 1.07		$ 1.07		$ 1.07		$ 0.96		$ 0.96		$ 0.96		$ 4.39	$ 3.95	$ 2.63
After-tax cost (benefit) related to change in fair value of contingent consideration liabilities													$ 438		$ 182		$ 2,300		$ 171		$ (375)		$ 95		$ 485		$ (148)		$ 3,091	$ 49	$ 626
After-tax restructuring charges																			$ 133
After-tax charge to increase litigation reserves																							$ 176				$ 100
After-tax intangible asset impairment charge															$ 912						$ 4,500
After-tax income from legal settlements													435
Calico Life Sciences LLC | Collaborative arrangement
Quarterly Financial Data
After-tax charge as a result of a collaboration agreement extension with Calico																									$ 500
Reata Pharmaceuticals Inc
Quarterly Financial Data
After-tax consideration from counterparty for reacquired rights													$ 297

[1] Fourth quarter results in 2019 included an after-tax charge of $438 million related to the change in fair value of contingent consideration liabilities offset by after-tax income of $435 million from a legal settlement related to an intellectual property dispute with a third party and $297 million from an amended and restated license agreement between AbbVie and Reata. Fourth quarter results in 2018 included an after-tax intangible asset impairment charge of $4.5 billion partially offset by an after-tax benefit of $375 million related to the change in fair value of contingent consideration liabilities.

[2] Third quarter results in 2019 included after-tax charges of $912 million related to intangible asset impairment and $182 million related to the change in fair value of contingent consideration liabilities. Third quarter results in 2018 included after-tax litigation reserves charges of $176 million and $95 million related to the change in fair value of contingent consideration liabilities.

[3] Second quarter results in 2019 included an after-tax charge of $2.3 billion related to the change in fair value of contingent consideration liabilities resulting from the April 2019 regulatory approvals of SKYRIZI for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Second quarter results in 2018 included after-tax charges of $500 million as a result of a collaboration agreement extension with Calico and $485 million related to the change in fair value of contingent consideration liabilities.

[4] First quarter results in 2019 included after-tax charges of $171 million related to the change in fair value of contingent consideration liabilities and restructuring charges of $133 million. First quarter results in 2018 included an after-tax benefit of $148 million related to the change in fair value of contingent consideration liabilities partially offset by after-tax litigation reserves charges of $100 million.