Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Revenues:
Product revenues, net	$ 453,882	$ 409,689	$ 425,651	$ 394,410	$ 406,550	$ 302,511	$ 160,388	$ 130,875	$ 1,683,632	$ 1,000,324	$ 487,821
Royalty revenues	3,887	3,835	5,282	3,596	6,331	5,759	5,077	6,792	16,600	23,959	40,919
Collaborative revenues	937	259	675	74	5,054	1,546	611	842	1,945	8,053	51,675
Total revenues	458,706	413,783	431,608	398,080	417,935	309,816	166,076	138,509	1,702,177	1,032,336	580,415
Costs and expenses:
Cost of product revenues	59,646	53,222	44,154	49,789	62,092	30,269	15,409	9,381	206,811	117,151	39,725
Royalty expenses	836	855	1,098	860	1,293	1,691	1,451	2,926	3,649	7,361	21,262
Research and development expenses	248,452	272,370	271,008	255,860	310,181	246,284	223,858	215,599	1,047,690	995,922	855,506
Sales, general and administrative expenses	109,908	106,055	111,652	105,214	96,549	99,772	94,394	85,860	432,829	376,575	305,409
Restructuring expenses	224	8	343	687	1,524	1,826	2,128	(3,272)	1,262	2,206	50,925
Total costs and expenses	419,066	432,510	428,255	412,410	471,639	379,842	337,240	310,494	1,692,241	1,499,215	1,272,827
Income (loss) from operations	39,640	(18,727)	3,353	(14,330)	(53,704)	(70,026)	(171,164)	(171,985)	9,936	(466,879)	(692,412)
Interest expense, net	(20,439)	(20,140)	(20,155)	(20,698)	(20,654)	(21,134)	(21,111)	(21,307)	(81,432)	(84,206)	(72,863)
Other income (expense), net	1,105	(167)	(1,219)	4,411	(1,690)	(1,326)	1,414	(5,113)	4,130	(6,715)	30,400
Loss from continuing operations before provision for income taxes	20,306	(39,034)	(18,021)	(30,617)	(76,048)	(92,486)	(190,861)	(198,405)	(67,366)	(557,800)	(734,875)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	(7,453)	503	18,130	5,485	(1,379)	1,330	30,131	299	16,665	30,381	6,958
Net loss	27,759	(39,537)	(36,151)	(36,102)	(74,669)	(93,816)	(220,992)	(198,704)	(84,031)	(588,181)	(742,745)
Loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest					938	(1,333)	32,144	98
(Income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	5,186	696	(28,374)	(5,529)
Net loss attributable to Vertex	$ 32,945	$ (38,841)	$ (64,525)	$ (41,631)	$ (73,731)	$ (95,149)	$ (188,848)	$ (198,606)	$ (112,052)	$ (556,334)	$ (738,555)
Net (loss) income:
Basic (usd per share)	$ 0.13	$ (0.16)	$ (0.26)	$ (0.17)					$ (0.46)	$ (2.31)	$ (3.14)
Diluted (usd per share)	$ 0.13	$ (0.16)	$ (0.26)	$ (0.17)					$ (0.46)	$ (2.31)	$ (3.14)
Basic and diluted (usd per share)					$ (0.30)	$ (0.39)	$ (0.78)	$ (0.83)
Shares used in per share calculations:
Basic (in shares)	245,454	244,920	244,482	243,831					244,685	241,312	235,307
Diluted (in shares)	247,757	244,920	244,482	243,831					244,685	241,312	235,307
Basic and diluted (in shares)					242,987	241,969	240,757	239,493