Segment, Geographic and Other Revenue Information - Revenues By Products (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012		Oct. 02, 2011		Sep. 30, 2012		Oct. 02, 2011
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 13,976		$ 16,609		$ 43,918		$ 49,118
Biopharmaceutical [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	12,117		14,747		38,321		43,611
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Lipitor [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	749	[1]	2,602	[1]	3,364	[1]	7,578	[1]
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Lyrica [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	1,036		961		3,026		2,695
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Enbrel (Outside the U.S. and Canada) [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	893		957		2,780		2,741
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Prevnar 13/ Prevenar 13 [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	868		1,006		2,725		2,823
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Celebrex [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	676		643		1,969		1,856
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Viagra [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	517		493		1,498		1,458
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Norvasc [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	319		350		1,001		1,081
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Zyvox [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	328		321		996		965
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Sutent [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	294		298		913		870
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Premarin family [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	262		267		797		757
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Genotropin [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	212		215		619		654
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Xalatan / Xalacom [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	181		277		617		960
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | BeneFIX [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	201		178		577		518
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Detrol / Detrol LA [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	176		213		576		668
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Vfend [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	187		171		543		558
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Chantix / Champix [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	146		156		496		545
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Pristiq [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	152		146		461		422
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | ReFacto AF/ Xyntha [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	150		140		420		380
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Revatio [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	135		140		414		393
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Zoloft [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	129		139		398		420
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Medrol [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	113		127		388		383
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Zosyn / Tazocin [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	109		149		378		490
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Effexor [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	107		165		342		537
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Geodon / Zeldox [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	57		263		322		753
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Zithromax / Zmax [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	89		93		318		335
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Prevnar / Prevenar (7-valent) [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	81		98		303		406
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Fragmin [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	91		95		283		283
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Aricept [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	71	[2]	117	[2]	249	[2]	335	[2]
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Cardura [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	79		92		254		289
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Relpax [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	92		86		266		250
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Rapamune [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	92		96		259		285
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Tygacil [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	82		76		249		224
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | EpiPen [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	67	[3]	59	[3]	217	[3]	160	[3]
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Xanax XR [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	66		77		203		232
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | BMP2 [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	58		83		192		277
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Sulperazon [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	62		51		191		155
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Diflucan [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	61		72		185		201
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Caduet [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	68		150		191		435
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Neurontin [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	52		67		172		222
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Unasyn [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	54		58		165		172
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Aromasin [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	51		85		162		294
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Arthrotec [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	50		61		159		182
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Inspra [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	51		51		156		142
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Dalacin / Cleocin [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	74		51		176		139
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Toviaz [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	52		49		150		137
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Metaxalone/Skelaxin [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	55	[3]	57	[3]	149	[3]	145	[3]
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Methotrexate [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	50		51		148		133
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Protonix [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	50		65		140		168
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | Alliance revenues [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	879	[4]	919	[4]	2,577	[4]	2,678	[4]
Biopharmaceutical [Member] | All Other Biopharmaceutical Products [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	1,643	[5]	1,611	[5]	5,187	[5]	4,827	[5]
Other products [Member] | Animal Health [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	1,017		1,041		3,128		3,078
Other products [Member] | Consumer Healthcare [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	780		767		2,276		2,218
Other products [Member] | Pfizer Centre Source And Other [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 62	[6]	$ 54	[6]	$ 193	[6]	$ 211	[6]

[1] Lipitor lost exclusivity in the U.S. in November 2011 and various other markets in 2011 and 2012. This loss of exclusivity reduced branded worldwide revenues by $1.9 billion in the third quarter of 2012, in comparison with the third quarter of 2011, and by $4.2 billion in the first nine months of 2012, in comparison with the first nine months of 2011.

[2] Represents direct sales under license agreement with Eisai Co., Ltd.

[3] Legacy King product. King’s operations are included in our financial statements commencing from the acquisition date of January 31, 2011.

[4] Includes Enbrel (in the U.S. and Canada), Aricept, Exforge, Rebif and Spiriva.

[5] Includes sales of generic atorvastatin.

[6] Includes revenues generated primarily from Pfizer CentreSource, our contract manufacturing and bulk pharmaceutical chemical sales organization.