Composition of Certain Financial Statement Captions - Changes in Goodwill (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 717,099
Foreign exchange and other	2,792
Ending balance	719,891
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	89,226
Foreign exchange and other	2,564
Ending balance	91,790
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	5,203
Foreign exchange and other	98
Ending balance	5,301
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	7,898
Foreign exchange and other	227
Ending balance	8,125
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	3,608
Foreign exchange and other	(97)
Ending balance	3,511
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