Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited) (Details) (USD $) Share data in Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2003	Dec. 31, 2006
Revenues:
Product revenues, net		$ 124,942,000	$ 137,099,000	$ 122,319,000	$ 103,461,000	$ 128,822,000	$ 186,653,000	$ 254,789,000	$ 267,381,000	$ 487,821,000	$ 837,645,000	$ 1,333,458,000
Royalty revenues		8,785,000	8,386,000	13,015,000	10,733,000	36,887,000	27,012,000	49,120,000	43,573,000	40,919,000	156,592,000	141,498,000
Collaborative revenues		10,829,000	33,502,000	3,087,000	4,257,000	185,448,000	8,035,000	6,841,000	17,414,000	51,675,000	217,738,000	52,086,000
Total revenues		144,556,000	178,987,000	138,421,000	118,451,000	351,157,000	221,700,000	310,750,000	328,368,000	580,415,000	1,211,975,000	1,527,042,000
Costs and expenses:
Cost of product revenues		11,290,000	10,208,000	9,655,000	8,572,000	13,281,000	20,048,000	24,695,000	30,955,000	39,725,000	88,979,000	236,742,000
Royalty expenses		2,737,000	3,976,000	7,645,000	6,904,000	8,983,000	7,291,000	13,236,000	11,788,000	21,262,000	41,298,000	43,143,000
Research and development expenses		201,463,000	190,939,000	224,487,000	238,617,000	238,461,000	219,442,000	213,994,000	210,200,000	855,506,000	882,097,000	765,905,000
Sales, general and administrative expenses		78,527,000	75,224,000	77,446,000	74,212,000	73,055,000	86,427,000	105,081,000	91,625,000	305,409,000	356,188,000	432,681,000
Restructuring expenses		4,164,000	40,843,000	(270,000)	6,188,000	27,658,000	12,048,000	776,000	39,000	50,925,000	40,521,000	1,844,000	91,824,000
Intangible asset impairment charges						0	0	0	412,900,000	0	412,900,000	0
Total costs and expenses		298,181,000	321,190,000	318,963,000	334,493,000	361,438,000	345,256,000	357,782,000	757,507,000	1,272,827,000	1,821,983,000	1,480,315,000
(Loss) income from operations		(153,625,000)	(142,203,000)	(180,542,000)	(216,042,000)	(10,281,000)	(123,556,000)	(47,032,000)	(429,139,000)	(692,412,000)	(610,008,000)	46,727,000
Interest expense, net		(21,177,000)	(20,384,000)	(15,585,000)	(15,717,000)	(12,626,000)	(104,000)	(6,727,000)	(3,469,000)	(72,863,000)	(22,926,000)	(15,040,000)
Other income, net		(3,792,000)	(3,990,000)	37,731,000	451,000	3,339,000	4,760,000	(34,000)	(1,175,000)	30,400,000	6,890,000	309,000
(Loss) income from continuing operations before provision for (benefit from) income taxes		(178,594,000)	(166,577,000)	(158,396,000)	(231,308,000)	(19,568,000)	(118,900,000)	(53,793,000)	(433,783,000)	(734,875,000)	(626,044,000)	31,996,000
Provision for income taxes		2,043,000	3,419,000	693,000	803,000	1,352,000	2,555,000	558,000	(126,887,000)	6,958,000	(122,422,000)	(275,000)
(Loss) income from continuing operations		(180,637,000)	(169,996,000)	(159,089,000)	(232,111,000)	(20,920,000)	(121,455,000)	(54,351,000)	(306,896,000)	(741,833,000)	(503,622,000)	32,271,000
Loss from discontinued operations		(209,000)	(64,000)	(293,000)	(346,000)	(163,629,000)	(7,207,000)	(7,361,000)	(5,731,000)	(912,000)	(183,928,000)	(83,406,000)
Net loss		(180,846,000)	(170,060,000)	(159,382,000)	(232,457,000)	(184,549,000)	(128,662,000)	(61,712,000)	(312,627,000)	(742,745,000)	(687,550,000)	(51,135,000)
Loss attributable to noncontrolling interest		4,190,000	0	0	0
Loss (income) from discontinued operations attributable to noncontrolling interest						228,834,000	4,530,000	4,547,000	4,611,000	0	242,522,000	(55,897,000)
Net loss attributable to Vertex		(176,656,000)	(170,060,000)	(159,382,000)	(232,457,000)	44,285,000	(124,132,000)	(57,165,000)	(308,016,000)	(738,555,000)	(445,028,000)	(107,032,000)
(Loss) income from continuing operations		(176,447,000)	(169,996,000)	(159,089,000)	(232,111,000)	(20,920,000)	(121,455,000)	(54,351,000)	(306,896,000)	(737,643,000)	(503,622,000)	32,271,000
(Loss) income from discontinued operations		(209,000)	(64,000)	(293,000)	(346,000)	65,205,000	(2,677,000)	(2,814,000)	(1,120,000)	(912,000)	58,594,000	(139,303,000)
Net (loss) income from continuing operations:
Basic and diluted (usd per share)		$ (0.74)	$ (0.72)	$ (0.68)	$ (1.00)	$ (0.09)	$ (0.53)	$ (0.25)	$ (1.42)
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations:
Basic and diluted (usd per share)		$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.28	$ (0.01)	$ (0.01)	$ (0.01)
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Basic and diluted (usd per share)		$ (0.74)	$ (0.72)	$ (0.68)	$ (1.00)	$ 0.19	$ (0.54)	$ (0.26)	$ (1.43)
Shares used in per share calculations:
Basic and diluted (in shares)		238,272	236,137	233,808	232,887	231,264	230,505	222,053	215,421
Other nonoperating Income	36,700,000
Intangible assets		29,000,000				0				29,000,000	0
Janssen
Revenues:
Royalty revenues										13,481,000	130,724,000	117,592,000
Collaborative revenues						182,400,000				7,104,000	203,437,000	16,178,000
Total revenues										20,585,000	334,161,000	133,770,000
Shares used in per share calculations:
Up-front license payment		5,000,000	30,000,000											165,000,000
Alios Bio Pharma Inc
Costs and expenses:
Provision for income taxes											(166,145,000)	39,029,000
Loss attributable to noncontrolling interest											(242,522,000)	55,897,000
Research and Development Arrangement | Alios Bio Pharma Inc
Costs and expenses:
Intangible asset impairment charges						250,600,000
Shares used in per share calculations:
Change in deferred income taxes						102,100,000
VX-222Asset
Costs and expenses:
Intangible asset impairment charges											412,900,000
VX-222Asset | Research and Development Arrangement
Shares used in per share calculations:
Intangible assets									412,900,000
Change in deferred income taxes											$ 127,600,000