Litigation Product Liability Litigation (Details) (Byetta [Member], Pending or Threatened Litigation [Member])	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Byetta [Member] \| Pending or Threatened Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Pending Claims, Number	95
Number of plaintiffs in separate liability cases	526
Loss Contingency, Claims Settled and Dismissed, Number	70

The total amount of pending claims pertaining to a loss contingency accrual as of the balance sheet date.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 5

-Paragraph 9, 10, 11, 12

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyPendingClaimsNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant