Income taxes (Reconciliation of Federal Statutory Tax Rate) (Details)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Federal statutory tax rate	21.00%	21.00%	21.00%
Foreign earnings	(7.80%)	(4.70%)	(4.50%)
Foreign-derived intangible income	(1.00%)	(0.70%)	(0.70%)
Credits, Puerto Rico excise tax	(3.40%)	(2.90%)	(2.60%)
Interest on uncertain tax positions	1.10%	1.10%	1.60%
Credits, primarily federal R&D	(2.10%)	(1.40%)	(1.00%)
Acquisition IPR&D	4.90%	0.00%	0.00%
Audit settlements	0.00%	(1.00%)	0.00%
Other, net	(0.60%)	(0.70%)	0.40%
Effective tax rate	12.10%	10.70%	14.20%

Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Interest On Uncertain Tax Positions, Percent

No definition available.

Name:	amgn_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationInterestOnUncertainTaxPositionsPercent
Namespace Prefix:	amgn_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 12
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121826272&loc=d3e32687-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of domestic federal statutory tax rate applicable to pretax income (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 6.I.Fact.4)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=122134291&loc=d3e330036-122817

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08(h)(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120395691&loc=d3e23780-122690

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 12
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121826272&loc=d3e32687-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of the difference between reported income tax expense (benefit) and expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income (loss) from continuing operations applicable to statutory income tax expense (benefit) outside of the country of domicile.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 12
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121826272&loc=d3e32687-109319

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 6.I.Fact.4)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=122134291&loc=d3e330036-122817

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseResearchAndDevelopment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationOtherAdjustments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 6.I.Fact.4)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=122134291&loc=d3e330036-122817

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 12
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121826272&loc=d3e32687-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationRepatriationOfForeignEarnings
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationTaxCreditsForeign
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationTaxCreditsResearch
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of the difference between reported income tax expense (benefit) and expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to income tax settlements. Including, but not limited to, domestic tax settlement, foreign tax settlement, state and local tax settlement, and other tax settlements.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationTaxSettlements
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration