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Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Noncurrent Liabilities, Operating Lease Liabilities

No definition available.

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Lessee, Operating Lease, Number Of Renewal Options

No definition available.

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Operating Lease Area

No definition available.

Name:	biib_OperatingLeaseArea
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Reduction Of Real Estate Footprint

No definition available.

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Discount rate used by lessee to determine present value of operating lease payments.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (c)(3)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478964/842-20-50-3

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Term of lessee's operating lease not yet commenced, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478964/842-20-50-3

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Term of lessee's operating lease renewal, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478964/842-20-50-3

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Term of lessee's operating lease, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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Period Type:	instant

Amount of loss from impairment of right-of-use asset from operating lease.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 25
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (c)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479365/842-20-25-6

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Period Type:	duration

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
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Period Type:	duration

Amount of unrecorded obligation to transfer funds in future for fixed or minimum amount or quantity of product and service at fixed or minimum price. Includes, but is not limited to, lease not yet commenced and take-or-pay and throughput contracts.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 440
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482648/440-10-50-4

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
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-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478964/842-20-50-3

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

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Data Type:	na
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Data Type:	na
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Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_BuildingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	us-gaap_LeaseContractualTermAxis=biib_HeadquartersLeaseSixMonthRenewalOptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Name:	us-gaap_LeaseContractualTermAxis=biib_SubleaseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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