|
Commitments and Contingencies Narrative (Detail) (USD $)
|
12 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Dec. 31, 2011
|
Dec. 31, 2010
|
Dec. 31, 2009
|
Dec. 31, 2011
Hormone Replacement Therapy [Member]
|
Aug. 31, 2004
Pending or Threatened Litigation [Member]
Quigley Co, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2011
Pending or Threatened Litigation [Member]
American Optical Corp subsidiary of Warner-Lambert [Member]
Claim
|
Dec. 31, 2011
Pending or Threatened Litigation [Member]
Pfizer - Neurontin Product [Member]
|
Jan. 31, 2011
Pending or Threatened Litigation [Member]
Pfizer - Neurontin Product [Member]
|
Nov. 30, 2010
Pending or Threatened Litigation [Member]
Pfizer - Neurontin Product [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2008
Pending or Threatened Litigation [Member]
Pharmacia - Average Wholesale Price Litigation [Member]
Defendant
|
Jul. 31, 2009
Pending or Threatened Litigation [Member]
IREF -Trade Secrets Action [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2008
Pending or Threatened Litigation [Member]
IREF -Trade Secrets Action [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2011
Pending or Threatened Litigation [Member]
Hormone Replacement Therapy [Member]
Claim
|
Dec. 31, 2005
Pending or Threatened Litigation [Member]
March 2005 proposed settlement [Member]
Quigley Co, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary [Member]
|
Mar. 31, 2005
Pending or Threatened Litigation [Member]
March 2005 proposed settlement [Member]
Quigley Co, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary [Member]
|
Sep. 26, 2004
Pending or Threatened Litigation [Member]
March 2005 proposed settlement [Member]
Quigley Co, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2011
Pending or Threatened Litigation [Member]
Court settlement rejection and Pfizer motion to appeal [Member]
Quigley Co, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2010
Pending or Threatened Litigation [Member]
Court settlement rejection and Pfizer motion to appeal [Member]
Quigley Co, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary [Member]
|
Mar. 31, 2011
Pending or Threatened Litigation [Member]
March 2011 proposed settlement [Member]
Quigley Co, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary [Member]
Claimant
|
Dec. 31, 2011
Pending or Threatened Litigation [Member]
March 2011 proposed settlement [Member]
Quigley Co, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary [Member]
|
||||||
| Loss Contingencies [Line Items] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Product litigation charge, pre-tax | $ 790,000,000 | [1] | $ 1,737,000,000 | [1] | $ 234,000,000 | [1] | $ 369,000,000 | $ 1,300,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||
| Product litigation charge, after-tax | 229,000,000 | 800,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notice of appeal and related motion | October 2010 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The minimum percentage of votes needed from claimants to approve the proposed bankruptcy reorganization plan | 75.00% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of defendants | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Percentage of claimants that agreed to 2004 proposed settlement | 80.00% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gross settlement amount offered | 125,000,000 | 430,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Claims payment amount for qualified claimants, first or only payment | 215,000,000 | 500,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of Ad Hoc Committee claimants agreeing to the company's proposed settlement offer | 40,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Claims payment amount for qualified claimants, second payment | 300,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Claims installment, payment terms | Following the earlier of the effective date of a revised plan of reorganization and April 6, 2013 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Agreed-upon payment amount of plaintiff's legal fees and expenses | 19,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Agreed upon amount of assets (cash and non-cash) to be contributed to a special purpose trust created to pay claimants, if Quigley's proposed reorganization plan is approved by the court | 550,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Insurance settlement, gross recovery | 405,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Insurance settlement collection period | 10 years | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of claims seeking damages | 67,700 | 10,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Litigation settlement expense | 336,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cumulative product liability charges in prior years | 300,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Estimated minimum cost to resolve outstanding actions | 359,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cumulative percentage of actions settled | 52.00% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Damages awarded by the court | 47,400,000 | 65,400,000 | 38,700,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Treble damages amount awarded, under appeal | 142,100,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Actions being taken by Pfizer | In August 2011, Pfizer appealed the District Court's judgment to the US Court of Appeals | The court granted Pfizer's motion for a new trial and vacated the jury verdict | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Enforceable and legally binding purchase agreement | $ 3,800,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||