CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 1,317,456	$ 880,192	$ 776,747
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation of long-term assets	71,153	54,234	41,682
Amortization	291,698	204,855	84,386
Allocation of pre-paid royalties	16,742	47,241	36,045
Provision (benefit) for accounts receivable allowances	6,354	(2,309)	2,664
Deferred income taxes	(85,822)	(103,923)	(26,939)
Impairment of acquired in-process research and development	118,000
Change in value of contingent consideration	(147,463)	9,712
Share-based compensation expense	225,154	186,989	145,929
Equity in losses of affiliated companies	2,804	1,928	518
Share-based employee benefit plan expense	20,664	14,403	11,515
Unrealized change in value of foreign currency forward contracts	(47,611)	9,970	(9,738)
Realized (gain) on marketable securities available for sale	(3,842)	(11,531)	(31,013)
Other, net	(11,404)	(2,352)	8,715
Change in current assets and liabilities, excluding the effect of acquisitions:
Accounts receivable	(263,130)	(234,452)	(122,615)
Inventory	70,980	18,723	1,540
Other operating assets	(69,288)	(45,674)	(53,847)
Assets held for sale, net	2,361	2,999
Accounts payable and other operating liabilities	223,814	51,557	652
Payment of contingent consideration	(23,324)
Income tax payable	95,326	78,110	39,823
Deferred revenue	(1,937)	20,884	3,791
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,808,685	1,181,556	909,855
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from sales of marketable securities available for sale	2,175,172	3,931,883	2,258,376
Purchases of marketable securities available for sale	(1,693,380)	(3,272,225)	(3,007,673)
Payments for acquisition of business, net of cash acquired		(2,652,377)
Proceeds from the sale of non-core assets, net	93,185
Capital expenditures	(132,119)	(98,632)	(93,384)
Investment in affiliated companies	(3,914)	(1,934)	(3,603)
Purchases of investment securities	(59,248)	(14,020)	(13,127)
Other investing activities	(2,000)		3,333
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	377,696	(2,107,305)	(856,078)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payment for treasury shares	(2,221,157)	(183,116)	(209,461)
Proceeds from short-term borrowing	1,878,784
Principal repayments on short-term borrowing	(1,353,061)
Payment of contingent consideration	(156,676)
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt		1,237,270
Net proceeds from exercise of common stock options and warrants	166,451	86,889	49,751
Excess tax benefit from share-based compensation arrangements	31,054	36,124	97,838
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(1,654,605)	1,177,167	(61,872)
Effect of currency rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(23,440)	(2,462)	17,881
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	508,336	248,956	9,786
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	1,351,128	1,102,172	1,092,386
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	1,859,464	1,351,128	1,102,172
Supplemental schedule of non-cash investing and financing activity:
Change in net unrealized (gain) loss on marketable securities available for sale	(3,651)	(13,808)	(3,326)
Matured shares tendered in connection with stock option exercises	(4,912)	(8,245)	(2,014)
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Interest paid	2,346	1,752	1,882
Income taxes paid	$ 93,019	$ 121,976	$ 70,539