BUSINESS ACQUISITIONS (Details)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		11 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2012 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)	Oct. 28, 2010 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Senior notes due 2016 [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Senior notes due 2020 [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Senior notes due 2020 [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Combined Senior notes due 2016 and 2020 [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Laboratories and Related Assets [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 MEDTOX [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 MEDTOX [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 MEDTOX [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 15, 2011 Orchid Cellmark Inc Business Acquisition [Member] USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2011 Orchid Cellmark Inc Business Acquisition [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 Orchid Cellmark Inc Business Acquisition [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 Orchid Cellmark Inc Business Acquisition [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Orchid Cellmark Inc Business Acquisition [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Ontario, Canada joint venture partnership [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Ontario, Canada joint venture partnership [Member] CAD	Nov. 28, 2011 Ontario, Canada joint venture partnership [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 Combined Business Acquisition [Member] USD ($)
Entity Acquired and Reason for Acquisition [Abstract]
Name of Acquired Entity																						Orchid Cellmark Inc.
Date of Acquisition [Abstract]
Effective Date of Acquisition																					Dec. 15, 2011							Nov. 28, 2011
Cost of Acquired Entity [Abstract]
Business acquisition, cost of acquired entity, purchase price																		$ 236,400,000								$ 147.9	151.7
Business combination, recognized identifiable intangible assets acquired																				78,000,000					28,800,000
Business combination, recognized identifiable deferred tax liabilities assumed																				33,200,000
Goodwill, net	3,022,800,000				2,901,700,000				3,022,800,000	2,901,700,000	2,681,800,000									154,200,000
Per share cash tender offer in Proposed Acquisition of Orchid Cellmark, Inc. (in dollars per share)																						$ 2.80
Amount of proposed purchase price to stockholders and optionholders of Orchid Cellmark, Inc.																							85,400,000
Business acquisition, loss on divestiture of Orchid's U.S. government paternity business																					2,800,000
Business acquisition cost of acquired entity purchase price plus certain adjustments relating to cash distribution hold backs																												0
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired									159,500,000	335,100,000	138,300,000																		51,900,000
Finite-lived Intangible Assets Acquired									40,900,000
Goodwill, Acquired During Period									127,000,000	224,500,000
Purchase Price Allocation [Abstract]
Weighted-average useful lives of identifiable intangible assets									13 years 8 months 12 days										18 years					12 years
Purchase consideration allocated to deferred taxes											9,100,000
Purchase consideration allocated to goodwill																									27,400,000
Business acquisition net operating loss tax assets																									20,400,000
Business acquisition tax asset realization period																								20
Cash payments to acquire laboratory-related assets									202,200,000	173,800,000	145,700,000						95,800,000
Bridge term loan credit agreement, maximum borrowing capacity												925,000,000
Business acquisition debt securities sold													325,000,000	600,000,000	600,000,000	925,000,000
Business acquisition debt securities sold stated interest rate													3.125%	4.625%	4.625%
Business acquisition debt securities sold maturity date									May 15, 2016				May 15, 2016	Nov. 15, 2020	Nov. 15, 2020
Noncontrolling Interest Put [Abstract]
Noncontrolling interest put in Ontario, Canada joint venture									0	0	147,900,000
Ownership interest percentage in Ontario, Canada joint venture (in hundredths)																												98.20%
Net sales	$ 1,437,000,000	$ 1,462,200,000	$ 1,468,200,000	$ 1,440,900,000	$ 1,405,300,000	$ 1,419,400,000	$ 1,423,400,000	$ 1,423,300,000	$ 5,808,300,000	$ 5,671,400,000	$ 5,542,300,000