Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 784,535	$ 578,165	$ 2,177,491	$ 1,837,018
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales	111,255	72,874	287,250	191,067
Research and development expenses	330,510	454,947	978,595	1,017,961
Sales, general and administrative expenses	137,295	120,710	404,406	361,285
Restructuring (income) expenses	(174)	337	(188)	13,859
Intangible asset impairment charge	0	255,340	0	255,340
Total costs and expenses	578,886	904,208	1,670,063	1,839,512
Income (loss) from operations	205,649	(326,043)	507,428	(2,494)
Interest expense, net	(8,143)	(13,574)	(29,346)	(45,003)
Other (expense) income, net	(60,995)	(77,553)	89,662	(80,634)
Income (loss) before provision for (benefit from) income taxes	136,511	(417,170)	567,744	(128,131)
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes	8,055	(125,903)	5,737	(117,581)
Net income (loss)	128,456	(291,267)	562,007	(10,550)
Loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest	290	188,315	(15,638)	173,350
Net income (loss) attributable to Vertex	$ 128,746	$ (102,952)	$ 546,369	$ 162,800
Net income (loss):
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.51	$ (0.41)	$ 2.15	$ 0.66
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.50	$ (0.41)	$ 2.11	$ 0.64
Shares used in per share calculations:
Basic (in shares)	254,905	250,268	254,096	247,963
Diluted (in shares)	259,788	250,268	258,972	252,095
Product revenues, net
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 782,511	$ 549,642	$ 2,170,152	$ 1,544,252
Royalty revenues
Revenues:
Revenues	1,238	2,231	3,679	6,643
Collaborative revenues
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 786	$ 26,292	$ 3,660	$ 286,123