Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	1 Months Ended		6 Months Ended	1 Months Ended			6 Months Ended			6 Months Ended					1 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Apr. 05, 2013 Litigation	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013 Cipro Litigation [Member] Cases	Feb. 03, 2009 Androgel Antitrust Litigation [Member] Cases	Apr. 16, 2013 Loestrin 24 Antitrust Litigation [Member] Cases	Jun. 30, 2013 Hormone Replacement Therapy Litigation [Member] Plaintiff LegalMatter	Jun. 30, 2013 Hormone Replacement Therapy Litigation [Member] Stroke [Member] Cases	Jun. 30, 2013 Fentanyl Transdermal System Litigation [Member] LegalMatter Plaintiff	Jun. 30, 2013 Metoclopramide Litigation [Member] LegalMatter	Jun. 30, 2013 Medical West Ballas Pharmacy, LTD [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Alendronate Litigation [Member] Plaintiff LegalMatter Lawsuits	Jun. 30, 2013 Alendronate Litigation [Member] California [Member] LegalMatter	Jun. 30, 2013 Alendronate Litigation [Member] New Jersey [Member] Cases	Jun. 30, 2013 Drug pricing actions settlement [Member]	Nov. 09, 2012 Ferring B.V. [Member] Cases	Nov. 25, 2011 Ferring B.V. [Member] Cases	Jul. 07, 2011 Ferring B.V. [Member] Cases	Jun. 30, 2013 Ferring B.V. [Member] LegalMatter	Jun. 30, 2013 Propoxyphene Litigation [Member] LegalMatter Plaintiff
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Accrued expenses		$ 227,700,000												$ 150,400,000
Approximately cases filed against Watson			42	3	2		2								1	1	1
Number of putative class actions filed	2
Approximately number of cases pending against company						13		9	1,330		405	7	385					3	77
Approximate number of plaintiffs						13		21			515								1,385
Minimum statutory damages per violation										$ 500
Additional Cases Filed											123
Cases have been consolidated in the U.S. District Court											19
Approximately number of cases dismissed																			34
Approximate number of proceeding cases																			35