Separation of AbbVie Inc. (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended					9 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013 AbbVie	Sep. 30, 2012 AbbVie	Sep. 30, 2013 AbbVie Transition services agreement	Sep. 30, 2013 AbbVie Transition services agreement Maximum	Jan. 02, 2013 Proprietary Pharmaceuticals Business AbbVie	Sep. 30, 2013 Proprietary Pharmaceuticals Business AbbVie	Sep. 30, 2012 Proprietary Pharmaceuticals Business AbbVie	Sep. 30, 2012 Proprietary Pharmaceuticals Business AbbVie	Sep. 30, 2013 Proprietary Pharmaceuticals Business Assets and Liabilities Held for Disposal AbbVie
Separation of AbbVie Inc.
Common stock distribution ratio		1
Reduction in the amount of long-term deferred tax assets transferred to subsidiary								$ 580,000,000
Reduction in net assets transferred								580,000,000
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents								5,900,000,000
Investments								2,200,000,000
Trade receivables, less allowances								3,200,000,000				338,000,000
Inventories								700,000,000				173,000,000
Prepaid expenses, deferred income taxes, and other current receivables								2,900,000,000
Net property and equipment								2,200,000,000				31,000,000
Intangible assets, net of amortization								2,300,000,000
Goodwill								6,100,000,000
Deferred income taxes and other assets								1,000,000,000
Total assets								26,500,000,000
Liabilities:
Short-term borrowings								1,000,000,000
Trade accounts payable and other current liabilities								5,100,000,000
Long-term debt								14,600,000,000
Post-employment obligations, deferred income taxes and other long-term liabilities								3,100,000,000
Total liabilities								23,800,000,000
Net Assets Transferred to AbbVie Inc.								2,700,000,000
Additional disclosures
Accumulated other comprehensive losses, net of income taxes, primarily related to the pension and other benefit plan net liabilities as well as foreign translation								1,100,000,000
Favorable resolution of various tax positions	241,000,000	103,000,000	196,000,000	433,000,000	386,000,000				193,000,000
Financial information for discontinued operations
Net sales										4,508,000,000	13,175,000,000
Earnings before taxes										1,641,000,000	4,164,000,000
Taxes on earnings										37,000,000	355,000,000
Net earnings										1,604,000,000	3,809,000,000
Term for which transition services may be provided							24 months
Term by which the agreement can be extended						1 year
Additional disclosures
Other assets												74,000,000
Trade accounts payable												286,000,000
Other liabilities												69,000,000
Obligation to transfer the net assets held for disposition included in other current liabilities												$ 261,000,000