Composition of Certain Financial Statement Captions - Changes in Goodwill (Details) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 704,603
Foreign exchange and other	7,472
Ending balance	712,075
BioReference
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Ending balance	401,800
Pharmaceutical | CURNA
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	4,827
Foreign exchange and other	0
Ending balance	4,827
Pharmaceutical | EirGen
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	78,358
Foreign exchange and other	6,725
Ending balance	85,083
Pharmaceutical | FineTech
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	11,698
Foreign exchange and other	0
Ending balance	11,698
Pharmaceutical | OPKO Chile
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	4,785
Foreign exchange and other	32
Ending balance	4,817
Pharmaceutical | OPKO Biologics
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	139,784
Foreign exchange and other	0
Ending balance	139,784
Pharmaceutical | OPKO Health Europe
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	6,936
Foreign exchange and other	595
Ending balance	7,531
Pharmaceutical | OPKO Renal
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	2,069
Foreign exchange and other	0
Ending balance	2,069
Pharmaceutical | Transition Therapeutics
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	3,360
Foreign exchange and other	120
Ending balance	3,480
Diagnostics | BioReference
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	401,821
Foreign exchange and other	0
Ending balance	401,821
Diagnostics | OPKO Diagnostics
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	17,977
Foreign exchange and other	0
Ending balance	17,977
Diagnostics | OPKO Lab
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	32,988
Foreign exchange and other	0
Ending balance	$ 32,988