Intangible Assets and Goodwill (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended										12 Months Ended										12 Months Ended					3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013		Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013 VX-222Asset	Mar. 31, 2013 VX-222Asset	Dec. 31, 2012 VX-222Asset	Dec. 31, 2011 Research and Development Arrangement VX-222Asset	Dec. 31, 2010 Research and Development Arrangement VX-222Asset	Dec. 31, 2011 Research and Development Arrangement VX759Asset [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Research and Development Arrangement VX759Asset [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Research and Development Arrangement VX759Asset [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Alios Bio Pharma Inc	Dec. 31, 2011 Alios Bio Pharma Inc	Dec. 31, 2013 Alios Bio Pharma Inc Research and Development Arrangement	Dec. 31, 2013 Alios Bio Pharma Inc Research and Development Arrangement	Dec. 31, 2012 Alios Bio Pharma Inc Research and Development Arrangement	Dec. 31, 2011 Alios Bio Pharma Inc Research and Development Arrangement
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Intangible assets	$ 0	[1]				$ 663,500,000	[1]				$ 0	[1]	$ 663,500,000	[1]					$ 412,900,000	$ 412,900,000		$ 0	$ 105,800,000					$ 250,600,000	$ 250,600,000
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Intangible Assets	0					229,696,000					0		229,696,000					127,600,000
Intangible asset impairment charges	250,600,000		0	0	412,900,000	0		0	0	0	663,500,000		0		105,800,000	412,900,000					105,800,000					250,600,000	250,600,000
Change in deferred income taxes																127,600,000					32,700,000						102,100,000
Net increase to the Company's net loss per share related to the impairment charge (usd per share)																$ 1.27					$ 0.35
fair value of intangible asset																	0
Increase in net loss related to impairment charge																285,300,000					73,100,000
Goodwill	$ 30,992,000	[1]				$ 30,992,000	[1]				$ 30,992,000	[1]	$ 30,992,000	[1]										$ 4,900,000	$ 4,900,000

[1] Amounts as of December 31, 2012 include the assets and liabilities of Vertex’s variable interest entity (“VIE”), Alios BioPharma, Inc. (“Alios”). The Company deconsolidated Alios as of December 31, 2013. 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 B, "Collaborative Arrangements," to these consolidated financial statements for amounts.