Leases- Narrative (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($) lease
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Leased operating facilities \| lease	3
Lease Residual Value Guarantee
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Maximum guarantee under lease arrangements \| $	$ 147
Minimum
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Remaining lease term	1 month
Options to extend, renewal term	1 year
Maximum
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Remaining lease term	30 years
Options to extend, renewal term	10 years
Option to terminate, term	1 year

Lessee, Operating Lease, Number Of Leases

No definition available.

Name:	tmo_LesseeOperatingLeaseNumberOfLeases
Namespace Prefix:	tmo_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Term of lessee's operating lease if an option to terminate is available and executed, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tmo_LesseeOperatingLeaseOptiontoTerminateTerm
Namespace Prefix:	tmo_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum potential amount of future payments (undiscounted) the guarantor could be required to make under the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees before reduction for potential recoveries under recourse or collateralization provisions.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)(1)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124440162&loc=d3e12069-110248

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

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

- Definition

Remaining lease term of operating lease, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=128292326&loc=SL77918673-209980

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LesseeOperatingLeaseRemainingLeaseTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Term of lessee's operating lease renewal, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=128292326&loc=SL77918673-209980

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LesseeOperatingLeaseRenewalTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis=us-gaap_GuaranteeTypeOtherMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: