Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Jan. 01, 2017	Oct. 02, 2016	Jul. 03, 2016	Apr. 03, 2016	Jan. 03, 2016	Sep. 27, 2015	Jun. 28, 2015	Mar. 29, 2015	Jan. 01, 2017	Jan. 03, 2016	Dec. 28, 2014
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Sales to customers	$ 18,106	$ 17,820	$ 18,482	$ 17,482	$ 17,811	$ 17,102	$ 17,787	$ 17,374	$ 71,890	$ 70,074	$ 74,331
Gross profit	12,572	12,334	13,146	12,153	12,138	11,878	12,430	12,092	50,205	48,538	51,585
Earnings before provision for taxes on income	4,324	5,281	4,904	5,294	3,758	4,122	5,741	5,575	19,803	19,196	20,563
Net earnings	$ 3,814	$ 4,272	$ 3,997	$ 4,457	$ 3,215	$ 3,358	$ 4,516	$ 4,320	$ 16,540	$ 15,409	$ 16,323
Basic net earnings per share	$ 1.41	$ 1.56	$ 1.46	$ 1.62	$ 1.16	$ 1.21	$ 1.63	$ 1.55	$ 6.04	$ 5.56	$ 5.80
Diluted net earnings per share	$ 1.38	$ 1.53	$ 1.43	$ 1.59	$ 1.15	$ 1.20	$ 1.61	$ 1.53	$ 5.93	$ 5.48	$ 5.70
Litigation income (expense) net after-tax	$ (80)	$ (46)	$ (493)	$ (56)		$ (348)	$ (23)	$ 253
Cost associated with the DePuy ASR Hip recall program, after tax								122
Litigation expense	96	55	600	66		409	134			$ 141	$ 1,253
Recall program								139
Restructuring charge, after tax	251	76	97	120	$ 415
Restructuring charges									$ 491	509	0
Research and development after tax					156
In-process research and development					214				29	224	178
Integration costs after tax					59
Integration costs					83
Other tax benefit										(400)
Gain from divestiture									563	2,583	2,383
Medical Devices
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Gain on litigation settlement								402		600
Litigation expense									806	5	907
Recall program										148	126
Restructuring charges	298	109	141	137	590				685	590
In-process research and development										10	31
Integration costs										196	754
Gain from divestiture										1,300	1,899
Consumer
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Sales to customers	3,432	3,261	3,419	3,195	3,320	3,314	3,483	3,390
Litigation expense											87
Gain from divestiture										229
Pharmaceutical
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Sales to customers	8,232	8,400	8,654	8,178	8,064	7,694	7,946	7,726
Litigation expense										136	259
In-process research and development									$ 29	214	147
Other marketing fee											$ 220
Gain from divestiture										$ 981
Med Devices
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Sales to customers	$ 6,442	$ 6,159	$ 6,409	$ 6,109	$ 6,427	$ 6,094	$ 6,358	$ 6,258