Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Revenues:
Product revenues, net	$ 1,000,324	$ 487,821	$ 837,645
Royalty revenues	23,959	40,919	156,592
Collaborative revenues	8,053	51,675	217,738
Total revenues	1,032,336	580,415	1,211,975
Costs and expenses:
Cost of product revenues	117,151	39,725	88,979
Royalty expenses	7,361	21,262	41,298
Research and development expenses	995,922	855,506	882,097
Sales, general and administrative expenses	376,575	305,409	356,188
Restructuring expenses	2,206	50,925	40,521
Intangible asset impairment charges	0	0	412,900
Total costs and expenses	1,499,215	1,272,827	1,821,983
Loss from operations	(466,879)	(692,412)	(610,008)
Interest expense, net	(84,206)	(72,863)	(22,926)
Other (expense) income, net	(6,715)	30,400	6,890
Loss from continuing operations before provision for (benefit from) income taxes	(557,800)	(734,875)	(626,044)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	30,381	6,958	(122,422)
Loss from continuing operations	(588,181)	(741,833)	(503,622)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax benefit of $0, $0 and $(166,145), respectively	0	(912)	(183,928)
Net loss	(588,181)	(742,745)	(687,550)
Loss from discontinued operations attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	242,522
Loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	31,847	4,190	0
Net loss attributable to Vertex	(556,334)	(738,555)	(445,028)
Loss from continuing operations	(556,334)	(737,643)	(503,622)
(Loss) income from discontinued operations	$ 0	$ (912)	$ 58,594
Net loss from continuing operations:
Net (loss) income from continuing operations, basic (usd per share)	$ (2.31)	$ (3.14)	$ (2.24)
Net (loss) income from continuing operations, diluted (usd per share)	(2.31)	(3.14)	(2.24)
Net (loss) income from discontinued operations:
Net (loss) income from discontinuing operations, basic (usd per share)	0.00	0.00	0.26
Net (loss) income from discontinuing operations, diluted (usd per share)	0.00	0.00	0.26
Net loss:
Basic (usd per share)	(2.31)	(3.14)	(1.98)
Diluted (usd per share)	$ (2.31)	$ (3.14)	$ (1.98)
Shares used in per share calculations:
Basic (in shares)	241,312	235,307	224,906
Diluted (in shares)	241,312	235,307	224,906