Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 29, 2019	Sep. 29, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jul. 01, 2018	Apr. 01, 2018	Dec. 29, 2019	Dec. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Sales to customers	$ 20,747	$ 20,729	$ 20,562	$ 20,021	$ 20,394	$ 20,348	$ 20,830	$ 20,009	$ 82,059	$ 81,581	$ 76,450
Gross profit	13,613	13,862	13,622	13,406	13,433	13,759	13,903	13,395	54,503	54,490	51,011
Earnings before provision for taxes on income	4,218	1,647	7,041	4,422	3,122	4,423	4,973	5,481	17,328	17,999	17,673
Net earnings	$ 4,010	$ 1,753	$ 5,607	$ 3,749	$ 3,042	$ 3,934	$ 3,954	$ 4,367	$ 15,119	$ 15,297	$ 1,300
Basic net earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.52	$ 0.67	$ 2.11	$ 1.41	$ 1.14	$ 1.47	$ 1.47	$ 1.63	$ 5.72	$ 5.70	$ 0.48
Diluted net earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.50	$ 0.66	$ 2.08	$ 1.39	$ 1.12	$ 1.44	$ 1.45	$ 1.60	$ 5.63	$ 5.61	$ 0.47
Restructuring charge, after tax	$ 214	$ 106	$ 116	$ 75	$ 190	$ 162	$ 152	$ 81
Restructuring charges	251	128	142	90	227		176		$ 266	$ 251	$ 309
Litigation income (expense) net after-tax	251	3,080	342	342	1,113		609
Litigation expense	264	4,000	409	423	1,288		703
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Securities, After-tax	277	71	117	125
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Securities	350	89	148	158
Acquisition related costs after tax	82	88	50	60
Acquisition related costs	90	107	55	67
In-process research and development, after tax				703		859
In-process research and development (Note 5)				890		1,126			890	1,126	408
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Change in Amount of Contingent Consideration, Liability									151	(156)	87
Asset Impairment Charges									1,096	1,258	795
Provisional charge	184	391			(137)	(265)
Actelion
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Acquisition related costs								96
Medical Devices
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Sales to customers									25,963	26,994	26,592
Restructuring charges						190		107	400
Litigation expense									400	1,700	1,100
Asset Impairment Charges											200
Consumer
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Sales to customers	3,567	3,469	3,544	3,318	3,536	3,415	3,504	3,398	13,898	13,853	13,602
Restructuring charges									100
Litigation expense									400	300
Med Devices
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Sales to customers	$ 6,632	$ 6,383	6,489	6,459	$ 6,668	6,587	$ 6,972	6,767
Ci:z Holdings Co. Ltd. | Consumer
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Equity Investments, After-tax				300
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Equity Investments				$ 300					300
XO1
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Change in Amount of Contingent Consideration, Liability						$ (184)				(200)
AMO | Medical Devices
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Acquisition related costs										100	100
Actelion
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Acquisition related costs after tax								$ 92
Acquisition related costs									200	200	800
Operating Segments
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Sales to customers									82,059	81,581	76,450
Earnings before provision for taxes on income									18,163	19,285	18,999
Operating Segments | Medical Devices
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Earnings before provision for taxes on income									7,286	4,397	5,392
Operating Segments | Consumer
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Earnings before provision for taxes on income									$ 2,061	$ 2,320	$ 2,524
ADVANCED | Medical Devices
Summary of Selected Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Business, After-tax			1,500
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Business			$ 2,000