Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended					3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2013 Total Vertex Shareholders' Equity	Sep. 30, 2013 Total Vertex Shareholders' Equity	Sep. 30, 2013 Noncontrolling Interest (Alios)	Sep. 30, 2012 Noncontrolling Interest (Alios)	Sep. 30, 2013 Noncontrolling Interest (Alios)	Sep. 30, 2012 Noncontrolling Interest (Alios)	Sep. 30, 2013 Alios Bio Pharma Inc	Jun. 30, 2012 Alios Bio Pharma Inc	Sep. 30, 2013 Alios Bio Pharma Inc	Sep. 30, 2012 Alios Bio Pharma Inc	Dec. 31, 2012 Alios Bio Pharma Inc
Tax Carryforwards
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	$ (751,000)		$ 21,355,000	$ (132,863,000)		$ 41,450,000			$ 2,600,000	$ (123,800,000)	$ (3,300,000)		$ (9,100,000)		$ (3,306,000)	$ 21,394,000	$ (9,089,000)	$ 40,354,000
Current State and Local Tax Expense (Benefit)			0			1,100,000						21,400,000		40,400,000
Intangible asset impairment charge	0		0	412,900,000		0
Deferred federal income tax expense (benefit)				127,600,000
Deferred tax liability	150,203,000	[1]		150,203,000	[1]		280,367,000	[1]							150,203,000		150,203,000		152,781,000
Federal income tax net operating loss carryfowards							2,600,000,000
Income taxes payable															0		0
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

[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.