Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Revenues:
Product revenues, net	$ 160,388	$ 122,319	$ 291,263	$ 225,780
Royalty revenues	5,077	13,015	11,869	23,748
Collaborative revenues	611	3,087	1,453	7,344
Total revenues	166,076	138,421	304,585	256,872
Costs and expenses:
Cost of product revenues	15,409	9,655	24,790	18,227
Royalty expenses	1,451	7,645	4,377	14,549
Research and development expenses	223,858	224,487	439,457	463,104
Sales, general and administrative expenses	94,394	77,446	180,254	151,658
Restructuring expenses (income)	2,128	(270)	(1,144)	5,918
Total costs and expenses	337,240	318,963	647,734	653,456
Loss from operations	(171,164)	(180,542)	(343,149)	(396,584)
Interest expense, net	(21,111)	(15,585)	(42,418)	(31,302)
Other income (expenses), net	1,414	37,731	(3,699)	38,182
Loss from continuing operations before provision for income taxes	(190,861)	(158,396)	(389,266)	(389,704)
Provision for income taxes	30,131	693	30,430	1,496
Loss from continuing operations	(220,992)	(159,089)	(419,696)	(391,200)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax benefit of $0	0	(293)	0	(639)
Net loss	(220,992)	(159,382)	(419,696)	(391,839)
Loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	32,144	0	32,242	0
Net loss attributable to Vertex	(188,848)	(159,382)	(387,454)	(391,839)
Loss from continuing operations	(188,848)	(159,089)	(387,454)	(391,200)
Loss from discontinued operations	$ 0	$ (293)	$ 0	$ (639)
Net loss from continuing operations:
Net loss per share from continuing operations, basic (usd per share)	$ (0.78)	$ (0.68)	$ (1.61)	$ (1.68)
Net loss per share from continuing operations, diluted (usd per share)	(0.78)	(0.68)	(1.61)	(1.68)
Net loss from discontinued operations:
Net loss from discontinued operations, basic (usd per share)	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
Net loss from discontinued operations, diluted (usd per share)	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
Net loss:
Basic (usd per share)	(0.78)	(0.68)	(1.61)	(1.68)
Diluted (usd per share)	$ (0.78)	$ (0.68)	$ (1.61)	$ (1.68)
Shares used in per share calculations:
Basic (in shares)	240,757	233,808	240,129	233,353
Diluted (in shares)	240,757	233,808	240,129	233,353