Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013		Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Tax Carryforwards
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	$ (130,313,000)		$ 32,000
Intangible asset impairment charge	412,900,000		0
Deferred federal income tax expense (benefit)	127,600,000
Deferred tax liability	151,664,000	[1]		280,367,000	[1]
Federal income tax net operating loss carryfowards				2,600,000,000
State income tax net operating loss carryforwards				1,500,000,000
Federal
Tax Carryforwards
Tax credits				98,000,000
State
Tax Carryforwards
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	(126,900,000)
Tax credits				60,300,000
Total Vertex Shareholders' Equity
Tax Carryforwards
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes			2,300,000
Noncontrolling Interest (Alios)
Tax Carryforwards
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	(3,400,000)		(2,300,000)
Alios Bio Pharma Inc
Tax Carryforwards
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	(3,426,000)		(2,280,000)
Deferred tax liability	151,664,000			152,781,000
Income taxes payable	$ 0

[1] Amounts include the assets and liabilities of Vertex’s variable interest entity (“VIE”), Alios BioPharma, Inc. (“Alios”). Vertex’s interests and obligations with respect to the VIE’s assets and liabilities are limited to those accorded to Vertex in its agreement with Alios. See Note C, "Collaborative Arrangements," to these condensed consolidated financial statements for amounts.