Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited) (Details) (USD $) Share data in Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	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, 2003
Revenues:
Product revenues, net	$ 128,822,000		$ 186,653,000	$ 254,789,000	$ 267,381,000	$ 281,309,000		$ 303,501,000	$ 373,273,000	$ 375,375,000	$ 837,645,000		$ 1,333,458,000		$ 950,889,000
Royalty revenues	36,887,000		27,012,000	49,120,000	43,573,000	43,451,000		25,586,000	33,480,000	38,981,000	156,592,000		141,498,000		50,015,000
Collaborative revenues (1)	185,448,000		8,035,000	6,841,000	17,414,000	9,234,000		6,919,000	11,552,000	24,381,000	217,738,000		52,086,000		409,722,000
Total revenues	351,157,000		221,700,000	310,750,000	328,368,000	333,994,000		336,006,000	418,305,000	438,737,000	1,211,975,000		1,527,042,000		1,410,626,000
Costs and expenses:
Cost of product revenues (2)	13,281,000		20,048,000	24,695,000	30,955,000	75,595,000		30,680,000	104,549,000	25,918,000	88,979,000		236,742,000		63,625,000
Royalty expenses	8,983,000		7,291,000	13,236,000	11,788,000	12,120,000		7,856,000	9,874,000	13,293,000	41,298,000		43,143,000		16,880,000
Research and development expenses	249,609,000		228,624,000	222,455,000	218,095,000	213,109,000		200,161,000	196,544,000	196,371,000	918,783,000		806,185,000		707,706,000
Sales, general and administrative expenses	75,188,000		87,754,000	106,521,000	92,879,000	110,452,000		97,684,000	117,514,000	111,146,000	362,342,000		436,796,000		400,721,000
Restructuring expenses	27,658,000		12,048,000	776,000	39,000	194,000		696,000	594,000	360,000	40,521,000		1,844,000		2,074,000	91,824,000
Intangible asset impairment charges	250,600,000		0	0	412,900,000	0		0	0	0	663,500,000		0		105,800,000
Total costs and expenses	625,319,000		355,765,000	367,683,000	766,656,000	411,470,000		337,077,000	429,075,000	347,088,000	2,115,423,000		1,524,710,000		1,296,806,000
Income (loss) from operations	(274,162,000)		(134,065,000)	(56,933,000)	(438,288,000)	(77,476,000)		(1,071,000)	(10,770,000)	91,649,000	(903,448,000)		2,332,000		113,820,000
Interest expense, net	(12,619,000)		(95,000)	(6,551,000)	(3,465,000)	(3,263,000)		(4,054,000)	(3,814,000)	(3,891,000)	(22,730,000)		(15,022,000)		(37,681,000)
Interest expense						(33,000)		13,000	179,000	150,000
Other income (expense), net	53,472,000		(4,747,000)	27,000	1,187,000
Income (loss) before provision for (benefit from) income taxes	(340,253,000)		(129,413,000)	(63,511,000)	(442,940,000)	(80,772,000)		(5,112,000)	(14,405,000)	87,908,000	(976,117,000)		(12,381,000)		60,445,000
Benefit from income taxes (3)(4)	(155,704,000)		(751,000)	(1,799,000)	(130,313,000)	(2,696,000)		21,355,000	20,063,000	32,000	(288,567,000)		38,754,000		19,266,000
Net income (loss)	(184,549,000)		(128,662,000)	(61,712,000)	(312,627,000)	(78,076,000)		(26,467,000)	(34,468,000)	87,876,000	(687,550,000)		(51,135,000)		41,179,000
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest (Alios)	228,834,000		4,530,000	4,547,000	4,611,000	1,928,000		(31,076,000)	(30,463,000)	3,714,000	242,522,000		(55,897,000)		(11,605,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to Vertex	44,285,000		(124,132,000)	(57,165,000)	(308,016,000)	(76,148,000)		(57,543,000)	(64,931,000)	91,590,000	(445,028,000)		(107,032,000)		29,574,000
Net income (loss) per share attributable to Vertex common shareholders:
Basic (usd per share)	$ 0.19		$ (0.54)	$ (0.26)	$ (1.43)	$ (0.35)		$ (0.27)	$ (0.31)	$ 0.44	$ (1.98)		$ (0.50)		$ 0.14
Diluted (usd per share)	$ 0.19		$ (0.54)	$ (0.26)	$ (1.43)	$ (0.35)		$ (0.27)	$ (0.31)	$ 0.43	$ (1.98)		$ (0.50)		$ 0.14
Shares used in per share calculations:
Basic (shares)	231,264		230,505	222,053	215,421	214,607		213,767	211,344	208,018	224,906		211,946		204,891
Diluted (shares)	235,717		230,505	222,053	215,421	214,607		213,767	211,344	219,264	224,906		211,946		208,807
Write-downs of inventories to net realizable value											10,358,000		133,189,000		0
Write-down of inventories effect on net income (loss) per share (usd per share)											$ (0.05)		$ (0.61)
Intangible assets	0	[1]				663,500,000	[1]				0	[1]	663,500,000	[1]
Janssen
Revenues:
Royalty revenues											130,724,000		117,592,000		20,289,000
Collaborative revenues (1)	182,400,000										203,437,000		16,178,000		274,393,000
Total revenues											334,161,000		133,770,000		294,682,000
Alios Bio Pharma Inc
Costs and expenses:
Benefit from income taxes (3)(4)											(166,145,000)		39,029,000		48,809,000
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest (Alios)											(242,522,000)		55,897,000		11,605,000
Research and Development Arrangement | Alios Bio Pharma Inc
Costs and expenses:
Intangible asset impairment charges	250,600,000										250,600,000
Shares used in per share calculations:
Intangible assets						$ 250,600,000							$ 250,600,000		$ 250,600,000

[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.