Taxes on Earnings (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Taxes on Earnings
Tax cost related to the disposal of shares	$ 71
Non-cash impact of tax expense associated with the gain on the sale of businesses	1,100
Decrease in gross unrecognized tax benefits	16
Decrease in gross unrecognized tax benefits, upper bound	635
Decrease in gross unrecognized tax benefits, lower bound	525
AbbVie
Taxes on Earnings
Tax costs (benefits) as a result of the resolution of various tax positions.	10
Discontinued operations
Taxes on Earnings
Non-cash impact of tax expense associated with the gain on the sale of businesses	667
Discontinued operations \| AbbVie
Taxes on Earnings
Favorable resolution of various tax positions and other unusual provision items		$ 101
Decrease in gross unrecognized tax benefits		$ 134
Developed markets branded generics pharmaceuticals business
Taxes on Earnings
Tax costs (benefits) as a result of the resolution of various tax positions.	$ 37

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Represents tax cost related to the disposal of shares.

+ References

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Amount of tax expense or benefit on gain (loss), not previously recognized, resulting from the sale of a business component.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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Amount of (increase) decrease reasonably possible in the estimated lower bound of the unrecognized tax benefit for a tax position taken or expected to be taken.

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Amount of (increase) decrease reasonably possible in the estimated upper bound of the unrecognized tax benefit for a tax position taken or expected to be taken.

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Amount of increase (decrease) to previously recorded tax expense. Includes, but is not limited to, significant settlements of income tax disputes, and unusual tax positions or infrequent actions taken by the entity, including tax assessment reversal, and IRS tax settlement.

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The net amount of all increases and decreases in unrecognized tax benefits for the period.

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