Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Tax Carryforwards
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	$ (1,799,000)		$ 20,063,000	$ (132,112,000)		$ 20,095,000
Current State and Local Tax Expense (Benefit)						1,100,000
Intangible asset impairment charge	0		0	412,900,000		0
Deferred federal income tax expense (benefit)				127,600,000
Deferred tax liability	149,706,000	[1]		149,706,000	[1]		280,367,000	[1]
Federal income tax net operating loss carryfowards							2,600,000,000
Federal income tax credit carryforwards							98,000,000
State income tax net operating loss carryforwards							1,500,000,000
State income tax credit credit carryforwards							60,300,000
Total Vertex Shareholders' Equity
Tax Carryforwards
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	600,000		1,200,000
Noncontrolling Interest (Alios)
Tax Carryforwards
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	(2,400,000)		21,200,000			19,000,000
Alios Bio Pharma Inc
Tax Carryforwards
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	(2,357,000)		21,240,000	(5,783,000)		18,960,000
Deferred tax liability	149,706,000			149,706,000			152,781,000
Income taxes payable	$ 0			$ 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.