Other (Income)/Deductions - Net (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended
		Apr. 01, 2018	Apr. 02, 2017
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Interest income		$ (77)	$ (81)
Interest expense		310	309
Net interest expense		233	228
Royalty-related income		(96)	(86)
Net gains on asset disposals	[1]	(19)	(90)
Income from collaborations, out-licensing arrangements and sales of compound/product rights	[2]	(142)	(47)
Net unrealized gains on equity securities		(86)
Net periodic benefit costs/(credits) other than service costs	[3]	(82)	62
Certain legal matters, net		(19)	8
Certain asset impairments		0	12
Loss on sale of HIS net assets	[4],[5]	3	37
Business and legal entity alignment costs	[6]	3	21
Other, net	[7]	51	(84)
Other (income)/deductions––net	[8]	(178)	60
Financial Assets and Liabilities [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Net unrealized gains on equity securities	[9]	$ (111)	$ 0

[1] In the first quarter of 2018, primarily includes net gains on sales of investments in equity and debt securities (approximately $12 million). In the first quarter of 2017, primarily includes net gains on sales of investments in equity and debt securities (approximately $42 million) and a gain on sale of property (approximately $48 million).

[2] Includes income from upfront and milestone payments from our collaboration partners and income from out-licensing arrangements and sales of compound/product rights. In the first quarter of 2018, primarily includes, among other things, a $75 million milestone payment received from Shire related to their first dosing of a patient in a Phase III clinical trial of a compound out-licensed by Pfizer to Shire for the treatment of ulcerative colitis, and a $40 million milestone payment from Merck in conjunction with the approval of ertugliflozin in the EU. For additional information, see Note 2C and Note 2D.

[3] Represents the net periodic benefit costs/(credits), excluding service costs, as a result of the adoption of a new accounting standard in the first quarter of 2018. Effective January 1, 2018, the U.S. Pfizer Consolidated Pension Plan was frozen to future benefit accruals and for the first quarter of 2018, resulted in the recognition of lower net periodic benefit costs due to the extension of the amortization period for the actuarial losses and the elimination of service costs. There was also a greater than expected gain on plan assets due to a higher plan asset base compared to the first quarter of 2017. For additional information, see Note 1B and Note 10.

[4] Amounts may not add due to rounding.

[5] In the first quarter of 2018 and 2017, represents an incremental charge to amounts previously recorded in 2016 to write down the HIS net assets to fair value less costs to sell related to the sale of HIS net assets to ICU Medical on February 3, 2017. For additional information, see Note 2B.

[6] In the first quarter of 2018 and 2017, represents expenses for changes to our infrastructure to align our commercial operations, including costs to internally separate our businesses into distinct legal entities, as well as to streamline our intercompany supply operations to better support each business.

[7] In the first quarter of 2018, primarily includes, among other things, charges of $102 million, reflecting the change in the fair value of contingent consideration, partially offset by dividend income of $59 million from our investment in ViiV. In the first quarter of 2017, primarily includes, among other things, dividend income of $43 million from our investment in ViiV.

[8] Amounts may not add due to rounding.

[9] Represents the unrealized net gains on equity securities reflecting the adoption of a new accounting standard in the first quarter of 2018. Approximately $61 million of this unrealized gain relates to our investment in ICU Medical stock, which is held by an international entity and therefore valued as of February 23, 2018, the international quarter end. Prior to the adoption of the new standard, net unrealized gains and losses on virtually all readily tradeable equity securities were reported in Accumulated other comprehensive income. For additional information, see Note 1B and Note 7B.