Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Oct. 01, 2017	Jul. 02, 2017	Apr. 02, 2017	Jan. 01, 2017	Oct. 02, 2016	Jul. 03, 2016	Apr. 03, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Jan. 01, 2017	Jan. 03, 2016
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Sales to customers	$ 20,195	$ 19,650	$ 18,839	$ 17,766	$ 18,106	$ 17,820	$ 18,482	$ 17,482	$ 76,450	$ 71,890	$ 70,074
Gross profit	12,952	12,748	13,016	12,380	12,572	12,334	13,146	12,153	51,096	50,205	48,538
Earnings before provision for taxes on income	2,560	4,790	4,748	5,575	4,324	5,281	4,904	5,294	17,673	19,803	19,196
Net earnings	$ (10,713)	$ 3,764	$ 3,827	$ 4,422	$ 3,814	$ 4,272	$ 3,997	$ 4,457	$ 1,300	$ 16,540	$ 15,409
Basic net earnings per share	$ (3.99)	$ 1.40	$ 1.42	$ 1.63	$ 1.41	$ 1.56	$ 1.46	$ 1.62	$ 0.48	$ 6.04	$ 5.56
Diluted net earnings per share	$ (3.99)	$ 1.37	$ 1.40	$ 1.61	$ 1.38	$ 1.53	$ 1.43	$ 1.59	$ 0.47	$ 5.93	$ 5.48
Restructuring charge, after tax	$ 237	$ 136	$ 101	$ 121	$ 251	$ 76	$ 97	$ 120
Litigation income (expense) net after-tax	(506)	(97)	(352)		(80)	(46)	(493)	(56)
Litigation expense	645	118	493		96	55	600	66			$ 141
Acquisition related costs after tax	313
Acquisition related costs	217
Restructuring charges									$ 309	$ 491	509
In-process research and development, after tax	266
In-process research and development	408								408	29	224
Asset impairment benefit	116
Provisional charge	13,600
asset impairment charge after-tax			125
Asset Impairment Charges									795	283	624
Medical Devices
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Litigation expense									1,139	806	5
Restructuring charges	284	187	128	161	298	109	141	137	850	685	590
In-process research and development											10
Asset Impairment Charges			182						215		346
Consumer
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Sales to customers	3,540	3,356	3,478	3,228	3,432	3,261	3,419	3,195
Pharmaceutical
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Sales to customers	9,681	9,695	8,635	8,245	8,232	8,400	8,654	8,178
Litigation expense									117		136
In-process research and development									396	$ 29	$ 214
Med Devices
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Sales to customers	$ 6,974	6,599	6,726	6,293	$ 6,442	$ 6,159	$ 6,409	$ 6,109
AMO
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Acquisition related costs after tax				251
Acquisition related costs				$ 38
AMO | Medical Devices
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Acquisition related costs									140
Actelion
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Acquisition related costs after tax		255	199
Acquisition related costs		$ 367	$ 213						800
Actelion | Pharmaceutical
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Acquisition related costs									$ 797