Revenue (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($) segment	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) segment	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($) segment	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) segment
Revenue
Number of reportable segments | segment	4	4	4	4
Net sales	$ 8,853	$ 8,076	$ 23,907	$ 23,590
U.S.
Revenue
Net sales	3,329	2,834	8,823	8,438
Int'l
Revenue
Net sales	5,524	5,242	15,084	15,152
Established Pharmaceutical Products
Revenue
Net sales	1,099	1,212	3,156	3,312
Established Pharmaceutical Products | Int'l
Revenue
Net sales	1,099	1,212	3,156	3,312
Nutritional Products
Revenue
Net sales	1,924	1,874	5,711	5,541
Nutritional Products | U.S.
Revenue
Net sales	818	788	2,438	2,321
Nutritional Products | Int'l
Revenue
Net sales	1,106	1,086	3,273	3,220
Diagnostic Products
Revenue
Net sales	2,640	1,909	6,460	5,655
Diagnostic Products | U.S.
Revenue
Net sales	1,133	702	2,793	2,121
Diagnostic Products | Int'l
Revenue
Net sales	1,507	1,207	3,667	3,534
Medical Devices
Revenue
Net sales	3,170	3,065	8,530	9,035
Medical Devices | U.S.
Revenue
Net sales	1,363	1,335	3,562	3,970
Medical Devices | Int'l
Revenue
Net sales	1,807	1,730	4,968	5,065
Other
Revenue
Net sales	20	16	50	47
Other | U.S.
Revenue
Net sales	15	9	30	26
Other | Int'l
Revenue
Net sales	5	7	20	21
Key Emerging Markets | Established Pharmaceutical Products
Revenue
Net sales	799	891	2,376	2,496
Key Emerging Markets | Established Pharmaceutical Products | Int'l
Revenue
Net sales	799	891	2,376	2,496
Other | Established Pharmaceutical Products
Revenue
Net sales	300	321	780	816
Other | Established Pharmaceutical Products | Int'l
Revenue
Net sales	300	321	780	816
Pediatric Nutritionals | Nutritional Products
Revenue
Net sales	1,006	1,044	3,119	3,124
Pediatric Nutritionals | Nutritional Products | U.S.
Revenue
Net sales	488	478	1,490	1,406
Pediatric Nutritionals | Nutritional Products | Int'l
Revenue
Net sales	518	566	1,629	1,718
Adult Nutritionals | Nutritional Products
Revenue
Net sales	918	830	2,592	2,417
Adult Nutritionals | Nutritional Products | U.S.
Revenue
Net sales	330	310	948	915
Adult Nutritionals | Nutritional Products | Int'l
Revenue
Net sales	588	520	1,644	1,502
Core Laboratory | Diagnostic Products
Revenue
Net sales	1,176	1,177	3,152	3,407
Core Laboratory | Diagnostic Products | U.S.
Revenue
Net sales	284	272	840	793
Core Laboratory | Diagnostic Products | Int'l
Revenue
Net sales	892	905	2,312	2,614
Molecular | Diagnostic Products
Revenue
Net sales	458	111	956	326
Molecular | Diagnostic Products | U.S.
Revenue
Net sales	220	35	429	113
Molecular | Diagnostic Products | Int'l
Revenue
Net sales	238	76	527	213
Point of Care | Diagnostic Products
Revenue
Net sales	131	144	387	424
Point of Care | Diagnostic Products | U.S.
Revenue
Net sales	96	112	278	334
Point of Care | Diagnostic Products | Int'l
Revenue
Net sales	35	32	109	90
Rapid Diagnostics | Diagnostic Products
Revenue
Net sales	875	477	1,965	1,498
Rapid Diagnostics | Diagnostic Products | U.S.
Revenue
Net sales	533	283	1,246	881
Rapid Diagnostics | Diagnostic Products | Int'l
Revenue
Net sales	342	194	719	617
Rhythm Management | Medical Devices
Revenue
Net sales	507	538	1,382	1,600
Rhythm Management | Medical Devices | U.S.
Revenue
Net sales	242	265	655	790
Rhythm Management | Medical Devices | Int'l
Revenue
Net sales	265	273	727	810
Electrophysiology | Medical Devices
Revenue
Net sales	441	427	1,128	1,262
Electrophysiology | Medical Devices | U.S.
Revenue
Net sales	192	185	476	549
Electrophysiology | Medical Devices | Int'l
Revenue
Net sales	249	242	652	713
Heart Failure | Medical Devices
Revenue
Net sales	190	186	551	571
Heart Failure | Medical Devices | U.S.
Revenue
Net sales	144	136	411	428
Heart Failure | Medical Devices | Int'l
Revenue
Net sales	46	50	140	143
Vascular | Medical Devices
Revenue
Net sales	630	697	1,736	2,136
Vascular | Medical Devices | U.S.
Revenue
Net sales	230	251	628	787
Vascular | Medical Devices | Int'l
Revenue
Net sales	400	446	1,108	1,349
Structural Heart | Medical Devices
Revenue
Net sales	353	348	894	1,024
Structural Heart | Medical Devices | U.S.
Revenue
Net sales	159	158	386	446
Structural Heart | Medical Devices | Int'l
Revenue
Net sales	194	190	508	578
Neuromodulation | Medical Devices
Revenue
Net sales	206	204	489	609
Neuromodulation | Medical Devices | U.S.
Revenue
Net sales	170	165	392	485
Neuromodulation | Medical Devices | Int'l
Revenue
Net sales	36	39	97	124
Diabetes Care | Medical Devices
Revenue
Net sales	843	665	2,350	1,833
Diabetes Care | Medical Devices | U.S.
Revenue
Net sales	226	175	614	485
Diabetes Care | Medical Devices | Int'l
Revenue
Net sales	$ 617	$ 490	$ 1,736	$ 1,348