Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011
Schedule of Collaborative Arrangements
Provision for income taxes	$ 20,063,000		$ 24,448,000	$ 20,095,000		$ 24,448,000
Income taxes payable (Alios)	201,000	[1]		201,000	[1]		12,075,000	[1]
Deferred tax liability	263,017,000	[1]		263,017,000	[1]		243,707,000	[1]
U.S. federal net operating loss carryforwards							2,700,000,000
Alios BioPharma, Inc
Schedule of Collaborative Arrangements
Provision for income taxes	21,240,000		24,448,000	18,960,000		24,448,000
Income taxes payable (Alios)	201,000			201,000			12,075,000
Deferred tax liability	135,431,000			135,431,000			116,121,000
Up-front payment							60,000,000
Vertex
Schedule of Collaborative Arrangements
Provision for income taxes	$ (1,200,000)			$ 1,100,000

[1] Amounts include the assets and liabilities of Vertex's variable interest entity ("VIE"), Alios BioPharma, Inc. ("Alios"). Vertex's interests and obligations with respect to the VIE's assets and liabilities are limited to those accorded to Vertex in its agreement with Alios. See Note C, "Collaborative Arrangements," to these condensed consolidated financial statements for amounts.