Fair Value Measurements, Derivative Instruments, Gains & Losses (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 29, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 29, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Currency Exchange Contracts [Member] \| Cost of Product Revenues [Member] \| Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) on Derivative, Net	$ (3)	$ 2	$ (1)
Currency Exchange Contracts [Member] \| Other Expense, Net [Member] \| Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) on Derivative, Net	(11)	35	6	$ 27
Fair Value Hedging [Member] \| Interest Rate Swaps [Member] \| Other Expense, Net [Member] \| Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) on Hedged Debt in Fair Value Hedge	(53)	10	(81)	52
Gain (Loss) on Derivative, Net	54	(11)	83	(49)
Cash Flow Hedging [Member] \| Interest Rate Swaps [Member] \| Other Expense, Net [Member] \| Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Cash Flow Hedge, Gain (Loss), Reclassification, before Tax	(4)	(3)	(7)	(6)
Net Investment Hedging [Member] \| Foreign currency-denominated debt [Member] \| Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) in Currency Translation Adjustment on Net Investment Hedge	(97)	400	59	200
Net Investment Hedging [Member] \| Cross Currency Interest Rate Contract [Member] \| Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) in Currency Translation Adjustment on Net Investment Hedge	(30)	3	7	3
Net Investment Hedging [Member] \| Cross Currency Interest Rate Contract [Member] \| Other Expense, Net [Member] \| Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) on Derivative, Net	$ 14	$ 3	$ 28	$ 3

Amount of the increase (decrease) in fair value of the hedged item in a fair value hedge recognized in the income statement.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 25
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109977999&loc=d3e76258-113986

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ChangeInUnrealizedGainLossOnHedgedItemInFairValueHedge1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in the fair value of derivatives recognized in the income statement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4A
-Subparagraph (b)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5618551-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, before tax, of reclassification of gain (loss) from accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) for derivative instrument designated and qualifying as cash flow hedge included in assessment of hedge effectiveness.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114867106&loc=d3e689-108580

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 11
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114867106&loc=d3e637-108580

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5624171-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCashFlowHedgeGainLossReclassificationBeforeTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, before tax, of increase (decrease) in the cumulative translation adjustment from gain (loss) on foreign currency derivatives that are designated as, and are effective as, economic hedges of a net investment in a foreign entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 20
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109240241&loc=d3e32211-110900

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TranslationAdjustmentForNetInvestmentHedgeIncreaseDecreaseGrossOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_CostOfSalesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_OtherExpenseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_FairValueHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_NetInvestmentHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=tmo_ForeigncurrencydenominateddebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_CrossCurrencyInterestRateContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: