Earnings Per Share - Schedule of Earnings Per Share Computation Statement (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	$ 267,427	$ 207,360	$ 536,058	$ 417,623
Basic net income attributable to Vertex per common share calculation:
Less: Undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	0	(65)	0	(163)
Net income attributable to Vertex common shareholders—basic	$ 267,427	$ 207,295	$ 536,058	$ 417,460
Basic weighted-average common shares outstanding (in shares)	256,154	254,135	255,941	253,685
Basic net income (loss) attributable to Vertex per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.04	$ 0.82	$ 2.09	$ 1.65
Diluted net income attributable to Vertex per common share calculation:
Less: Undistributed earnings allocated to participating securities	$ 0	$ (64)	$ 0	$ (160)
Net income attributable to Vertex common shareholders—diluted	$ 267,427	$ 207,296	$ 536,058	$ 417,463
Effect of potentially dilutive securities:
Employee stock purchase program (in shares)	3	2	14	18
Weighted-average shares used to compute diluted net income per common share (in shares)	259,822	258,584	260,015	258,557
Diluted net income attributable to Vertex per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.03	$ 0.80	$ 2.06	$ 1.61
Stock options
Effect of potentially dilutive securities:
Share-based payment arrangements (in shares)	2,225	2,758	2,405	3,003
Restricted stock and restricted stock units (including PSUs)
Effect of potentially dilutive securities:
Share-based payment arrangements (in shares)	1,440	1,689	1,655	1,851