Acquisitions, Divestitures, Collaborative Arrangement and Equity-Method Investment - Narrative (Detail) (USD $) Share data in Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended						4 Months Ended	6 Months Ended		0 Months Ended		0 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		0 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013		Jul. 01, 2012		Jun. 30, 2013		Jul. 01, 2012		Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 06, 2012 Hisun Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd [Member]	Apr. 26, 2013 Subsequent Event [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Pfizer [Member] Hisun Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd [Member]	Sep. 06, 2012 Pfizer [Member] Hisun Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd [Member]	Jun. 24, 2013 Zoetis [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Zoetis [Member]	Jun. 24, 2013 Zoetis [Member]	Nov. 30, 2012 Nutrition [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Nutrition [Member]	Jul. 01, 2012 Nutrition [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Nutrition [Member]	Jul. 01, 2012 Nutrition [Member]	Feb. 06, 2013 IPO [Member] Zoetis [Member]	Jun. 24, 2013 Exchange offer [Member] Pfizer [Member]	Jan. 28, 2013 Senior Notes [Member] Zoetis [Member]	Jun. 24, 2013 Common Class A [Member] Exchange offer [Member] Zoetis [Member]	Nov. 27, 2013 NextWave Pharmaceuticals, Inc. [Member]	Nov. 27, 2012 NextWave Pharmaceuticals, Inc. [Member]	Nov. 27, 2012 NextWave Pharmaceuticals, Inc. [Member] Developed Technology Rights [Member]	Nov. 27, 2012 NextWave Pharmaceuticals, Inc. [Member] In Process Research And Development [Member]	Feb. 26, 2012 Alacer Corp [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Ferrosan Holding A/S [Member]
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals [Line Items]
Business combination, consideration transferred, including equity interest in acquiree held prior to combination																										$ 442,000,000
Business combination, recognized identifiable assets acquired, goodwill, and liabilities assumed, net																											519,000,000
Identifiable intangible assets, excluding in-process research and development																												474,000,000	45,000,000
Business combination, recognized identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed, deferred tax liabilities noncurrent																											166,000,000			69,000,000	94,000,000
Goodwill	42,431,000,000				42,431,000,000				43,661,000,000																		89,000,000			192,000,000	322,000,000
Identifiable intangible assets																														181,000,000	362,000,000
Noncontrolling interest, ownership percentage by noncontrolling owners																						19.80%
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Parent														80.20%
Long-term Debt, Gross																								3,650,000,000
Initial public offering, long-term debt assumed, parent																								1,000,000,000
Cash Proceeds From Exchange of Stock																								2,600,000,000
Initial public offering, cash proceeds received, parent															6,100,000,000									2,650,000,000
Subsidiary or equity method investee, cumulative number of shares issued for all transactions																						99,015	405,117		400,985
Repayments of Short-term Debt																						2,500,000,000
Proceeds from issuance of common stock																						2,300,000,000
Treasury Stock, Value	59,515,000,000				59,515,000,000				40,122,000,000							11,400,000,000
Gain on disposal of discontinued operations––net of tax	10,418,000,000		0		10,418,000,000		0							10,400,000,000				10,418,000,000	0	10,418,000,000	0
Administrative Service Period																24 months
Manufacturing Service Period																5 years
Sale price for discontinued operation																	11,850,000,000
Net gains on asset disposals	28,000,000		17,000,000		54,000,000		24,000,000										4,800,000,000
Collaborative Arrangement, Payments Received											60,000,000
Collaborative Arrangement, Collaborator's Revenue and Expense Ownership Percentage	60.00%
Collaborative Arrangement, Company's Revenue and Expense Ownership Percentage	40.00%
Equity method investment summarized financial information, equity										250,000,000
Equity method investment, summarized financial information, current assets, cash													122,500,000
Equity method investment, ownership percentage												49.00%
Gain associated with Pfizer's equity-method investment in China	(31,000,000)	[1]	0	[1]	459,000,000	[1]	0	[1]				459,000,000
Equity method investment, summarized financial information, gain (loss) associated with indirect retained interest												225,000,000
Fair value inputs, discount rate												11.50%
Equity method investment, aggregate cost												1,400,000,000
Equity method investment, underlying equity in net assets												$ 700,000,000
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life												25 years

[1] In the first six months of 2013, represents the gain associated with the transfer of certain product rights to our equity-method investment in China. For additional information, see Note 2D. Acquisitions, Divestitures, Collaborative Arrangement and Equity-Method Investment: Equity-Method Investment.