Acquisitions, Investments, and Licenses - Textual (Details)	3 Months Ended			1 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	0 Months Ended		1 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended		1 Months Ended			0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2012 SciVac [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] USD ($) member	Mar. 31, 2014 SciVac [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2013 ARNO [Member] USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2013 ARNO [Member] Equity Method Investee [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 16, 2014 Biozone [Member] Equity Method Investee [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 03, 2014 Biozone [Member] Equity Method Investee [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Biozone [Member] Equity Method Investee [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Biozone [Member] Equity Method Investee [Member]	Jan. 03, 2014 Biozone [Member] Equity Method Investee [Member] Series B Convertible Preferred Stock [Member]	Aug. 31, 2011 Neovasc [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 Neovasc [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2014 Pharmsynthez [Member]	Apr. 30, 2013 Pharmsynthez [Member] USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2013 Pharmsynthez [Member] RUB	Mar. 31, 2014 Pharmsynthez [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2013 RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation [Member] USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2013 Zebra [Member] USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2013 Zebra [Member] Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Zebra [Member] Restricted Stock [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 One Year Warrants [Member] ARNO [Member] Equity Method Investee [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Five Year Warrants [Member] ARNO [Member] Equity Method Investee [Member]	Aug. 29, 2013 OPKO Biologics [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 OPKO Biologics [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2013 OPKO Renal [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 OPKO Renal [Member] USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Shares conversion ratio																										0.9951
Delivery of common stock																										63,670,805		20,517,030
Business Acquisition, Equity Interest Issued or Issuable, Value Assigned																										$ 540,600,000		$ 146,900,000
Share price																										$ 8.49		$ 7.16
Options and warrants outstanding (shares)																										7,889,265
Fair value of warrants outstanding						3,600,000																				46,100,000
Percentage of ownership held by chairman																										5.00%
Percentage of ownership held by directors																										5.00%
Number of trading days																												10 days
Business acquisition share price on shares issue																												$ 4.87
Amount payable in cash or shares on achieving milestones for acquiring a product in development																												190,000,000.0
Contingent consideration	71,000,000		71,600,000																									47,700,000
Cash paid at closing date				700,000
Deferred acquisition payments	840,000		5,465,000
Net loss																											22,400,000		29,200,000
Invested in common shares							2,000,000	500,000					2,000,000	1,200,000						2,500,000	2,000,000
Number of shares purchased													2,000,000			13,600,000	13,600,000		17,241,380
Warrants expiration period													2 years											1 year	5 years
Warrants to purchase common shares								1,000,000					1,000,000											833,333	833,333
Class of Warrant or Right, Exercise Price of Warrants or Rights								0.50																2.40	4.00
Investment Warrants, Exercise Price													$ 1.25
Asset Purchase Agreement																9,600,000
Number of share options received in purchase agreement																12,000,000	12,000,000
Proceeds to be received from sale of proprietary technology																8,100,000	265,000,000
Deferred revenue	8,600,000		8,300,000													9,500,000
Period for development of technology																3 years	3 years
Deferred revenue received from collaboration agreement	1,400,000
Revenue related to our license agreements																		500,000
Revenue collaboration agreement, offset to research and development	400,000
Shares Received In Satisfaction of Notes Receivable															12,000,000
Issue of common stock shares																			50,000,000
RXi common stock received	0	12,500,000
Milestone payments																			50,000,000.0
Asset purchase agreement financing for Rxi																				16,400,000
Investment Owned, Balance, Shares							833,333	1,000,000														840,000
Cocrystal on a fully diluted basis				50.00%
Additional working capital					2,500,000
Number of members of board of directors				5
Number of members of board of directors appointed by reporting entity				3
Percent of board of directors appointed by reporting entity				60.00%
Convertible debt, stock issued from conversion										10,000,000
Biozone Pharmaceuticals Warrants Exercised											7,700,000
Shares Received As Gift																							900,000
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage																						23.50%
Noncash or Part Noncash Acquisition, Noncash Financial or Equity Instrument Consideration, Shares Issued												1,000,000
Stock Conversion, Common Shares Issued upon Conversion									205.08308640
Total assets of equity method investees	119,100,000
Total liabilities of equity method investees	41,200,000
Net losses of equity method investees	$ 12,500,000