Restructuring (Details Textuals) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011 Merger Restructuring Program [Member] Minimum [Member]	Jul. 31, 2011 Minimum [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 2008 Global Restructuring Program [Member] Maximum [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Merger Restructuring Program [Member] Maximum [Member]	Jul. 31, 2011 Maximum [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 2008 Global Restructuring Program [Member] Person	Sep. 30, 2010 2008 Global Restructuring Program [Member] Person	Sep. 30, 2011 2008 Global Restructuring Program [Member] Person	Sep. 30, 2010 2008 Global Restructuring Program [Member] Person	Dec. 31, 2010 2008 Global Restructuring Program [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Merger Restructuring Program [Member] Person	Sep. 30, 2010 Merger Restructuring Program [Member] Person	Sep. 30, 2011 Merger Restructuring Program [Member] Person	Sep. 30, 2010 Merger Restructuring Program [Member] Person	Dec. 31, 2010 Merger Restructuring Program [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Legacy Schering-Plough Program [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Legacy Schering-Plough Program [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Legacy Schering-Plough Program [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Legacy Schering-Plough Program [Member]
Restructuring (Textuals) [Abstract]
Additional expected percentage of reduction in total workforce related to Merger Restructuring Program						12.00%			13.00%
Initial expected percentage of reduction in total workforce related to Merger Restructuring Program																	17.00%
Total pretax restructuring costs	$ 275,000,000	$ 383,000,000	$ 1,201,000,000	$ 1,627,000,000						$ 20,000,000	$ (1,000,000)	$ 25,000,000	$ 130,000,000		$ 255,000,000	$ 384,000,000	$ 1,176,000,000	$ 1,497,000,000
Cumulative restructuring costs incurred to date since program inception												1,600,000,000					4,500,000,000
Positions eliminated since inception of program										6,090		6,090			14,200		14,200
Expected cumulative restructuring costs, pre-tax					5,800,000,000		2,000,000,000	6,600,000,000
Vacant positions to be eliminated												400
Percentage estimate of cumulative pretax costs that will result in cash outlays (primarily from employee separation expense)												two-thirds					two-thirds
Percentage estimate of cumulative pretax costs that will be non-cash (primarily from accelerated depreciation of facilities)												one-third					one-third
Total number of position expected to be eliminated												7,200
Number of active employees expected to be eliminated												6,800
Number of positions eliminated										110	180	290	955		1,300	2,175	2,635	9,760
Vacant positions eliminated																	More than 2,500
Accelerated depreciation												17,000,000					400,000,000			2,000,000	4,000,000	18,000,000	13,000,000
Gain related to manufacturing facilities																							8,000,000
Restructuring Reserve										140,000,000		140,000,000		196,000,000	1,161,000,000		1,161,000,000		923,000,000	30,000,000		30,000,000
Reduction of separation reserves																	50,000,000
Number of employees to be retained at specified site that were previously expected to be separated																	380
Reclassification of restructuring charges between programs												$ 36,000,000