Segment, Geographic and Other Revenue Information - Revenues By Products (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 51,750	$ 53,647	$ 52,546
Biopharma Segment [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	39,419	37,558	35,530
Biopharma, Upjohn And Consumer Healthcare Segments [Member] \| HIS Products [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	97
Biopharma, Upjohn And Consumer Healthcare Segments [Member] \| Alliance Biopharmaceuticals [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	4,648	3,838	2,927
Biopharma, Upjohn And Consumer Healthcare Segments [Member] \| Total Biosimilars [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	911	769	531
Biopharma, Upjohn And Consumer Healthcare Segments [Member] \| Total Sterile Injectable Pharmaceuticals [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	5,035	5,214	5,673
Internal Medicine [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	9,119	8,869	8,229
Internal Medicine [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Eliquis [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	4,220	3,434	2,523
Internal Medicine [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Chantix Champix [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	1,107	1,085	997
Internal Medicine [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Premarin Family [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	734	832	977
Internal Medicine [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| BMP2 [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	287	279	261
Internal Medicine [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Toviaz [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	250	271	257
Internal Medicine [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| All Other Internal Medicine [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	2,521	2,969	3,213
Oncology [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	9,014	7,471	6,304
Oncology [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Ibrance [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	4,961	4,118	3,126
Oncology [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Sutent [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	936	1,049	1,081
Oncology [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Xtandi Alliance Revenues [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	838	699	590
Oncology [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Xalkori [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	530	524	594
Oncology [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Inlyta [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	477	298	339
Oncology [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Bosulif [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	365	296	233
Oncology [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Retacrit [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	225	82	67
Oncology [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Mektovi [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	49	0	0
Oncology [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Braftovi [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	48	0	0
Oncology [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Other Oncology Products [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	585	406	274
Hospital [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	7,772	7,955	8,369
Hospital [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Sulperazon [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	684	613	471
Hospital [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Medrol [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	469	493	540
Hospital [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Vfend [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	346	392	421
Hospital [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Zithromax Zmax [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	336	326	299
Hospital [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Epi Pen [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	303	303	290
Hospital [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Fragmin [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	253	293	306
Hospital [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Zyvox [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	251	236	281
Hospital [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Zosyn / Tazocin [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	200	230	195
Hospital [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Tygacil [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	197	249	260
Hospital [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Diflucan [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	190	189	180
Hospital [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Panzyga [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	183	39	0
Hospital [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Pfizer CentreOne [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	810	755	706
Hospital [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Other Anti-infectives [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	1,114	1,041	1,237
Hospital [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Other Hospital Products [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	2,436	2,797	3,182
Vaccines [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	6,504	6,332	6,001
Vaccines [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Prevenar 13/Prevnar 13 [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	5,847	5,802	5,601
Vaccines [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Nimenrix [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	230	140	86
Vaccines [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	220	184	134
Vaccines [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Trumenba [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	135	116	88
Vaccines [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Other Vaccines Products [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	73	90	91
Inflammation and Immunology [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	4,733	4,720	4,386
Inflammation and Immunology [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Xeljanz [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	2,242	1,774	1,345
Inflammation and Immunology [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Enbrel [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	1,699	2,112	2,452
Inflammation and Immunology [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Inflectra/Remsima [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	625	642	419
Inflammation and Immunology [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Eucrisa [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	138	147	67
Inflammation and Immunology [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| All Other Inflammation and Immunology Products [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	29	45	103
Rare Disease [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	2,278	2,211	2,240
Rare Disease [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Genotropin [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	498	558	532
Rare Disease [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| BeneFIX [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	488	554	604
Rare Disease [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Vyndaqel/Vyndamax [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	473	148	124
Rare Disease [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| ReFacto AF Xyntha [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	426	514	551
Rare Disease [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| Somavert [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	264	267	254
Rare Disease [Member] \| Biopharma Segment [Member] \| All Other Rare Disease Products [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	129	170	176
Upjohn Reporting Unit [Member] \| Upjohn Segment [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	10,233	12,484	13,447
Upjohn Reporting Unit [Member] \| Upjohn Segment [Member] \| Lyrica [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	3,321	4,970	5,065
Upjohn Reporting Unit [Member] \| Upjohn Segment [Member] \| Lipitor [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	1,973	2,062	1,915
Upjohn Reporting Unit [Member] \| Upjohn Segment [Member] \| Norvasc [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	950	1,029	932
Upjohn Reporting Unit [Member] \| Upjohn Segment [Member] \| Celebrex [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	719	686	775
Upjohn Reporting Unit [Member] \| Upjohn Segment [Member] \| Viagra [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	497	636	1,204
Upjohn Reporting Unit [Member] \| Upjohn Segment [Member] \| Effexor [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	336	311	297
Upjohn Reporting Unit [Member] \| Upjohn Segment [Member] \| Zoloft [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	294	298	291
Upjohn Reporting Unit [Member] \| Upjohn Segment [Member] \| Xalatan Xalacom [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	281	318	335
Upjohn Reporting Unit [Member] \| Upjohn Segment [Member] \| Xanax [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	198	223	225
Upjohn Reporting Unit [Member] \| Upjohn Segment [Member] \| Revatio [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	144	227	252
Upjohn Reporting Unit [Member] \| Upjohn Segment [Member] \| All Other Upjohn Products [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	1,519	1,725	2,158
Consumer Healthcare Reporting Unit [Member] \| Consumer Healthcare [Member]
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 2,098	$ 3,605	$ 3,472