|
Taxes on Income Narrative (Detail) (USD $)
|
12 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Dec. 31, 2011
|
Dec. 31, 2010
|
Dec. 31, 2009
|
Sep. 27, 2009
Bextra And Certain Other Investigations [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2009
Vicuron [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2011
Gross Accrued Interest [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2010
Gross Accrued Interest [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2011
Various foreign tax authorities [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2010
Various foreign tax authorities [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2010
U.S. Internal Revenue Service [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2011
U.S. Internal Revenue Service [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2010
U.S. Internal Revenue Service [Member]
|
Apr. 03, 2011
U.S. Internal Revenue Service [Member]
Wyeth [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2011
Hormone Therapy Product Liability Litigation [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2011
US Health Care Legislation [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2010
US Health Care Legislation [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2010
Quigley Co, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2011
International [Member]
|
||||||
| Income Taxes [Line Items] | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tax benefits for resolution of certain tax positions | $ 174,000,000 | $ 190,000,000 | $ 320,000,000 | $ 1,400,000,000 | $ 80,000,000 | $ 80,000,000 | $ 270,000,000 | $ 506,000,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Interest on unrecognized tax benefits | 545,000,000 | 77,000,000 | 140,000,000 | 600,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense related to our unrecognized tax benefits | 203,000,000 | 191,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Gross accrued interest | 951,000,000 | 952,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Unrecognized accrued interest decrease as a result of cash payments | 203,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selling, informational and administrative expenses | 19,468,000,000 | [1] | 19,480,000,000 | [1] | 14,752,000,000 | [1] | 248,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||
| Deferred tax asset write - off | 270,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tax effect of loss on sale | (556,000,000) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unremitted Earnings Tax Liability Not Recognized Amount | 63,000,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unrecognized Tax Benefits Net Liabilities | 6,100,000,000 | 5,800,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Unrecognized Tax Benefits Assets | 1,200,000,000 | 1,000,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Estimated decrease of gross unrecognized tax benefits within the next 12 months | 500,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Income taxes payable | 1,013,000,000 | 951,000,000 | 120,000,000 | 112,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Taxes and other current assets | 9,441,000,000 | 9,440,000,000 | 2,000,000 | 122,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Other taxes payable | $ 6,886,000,000 | $ 6,245,000,000 | $ 829,000,000 | $ 718,000,000 | |||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||