|
Joint Ventures and Other Equity Method Affiliates - Textual (Detail) (USD $)
|
12 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Dec. 31, 2013
|
Dec. 31, 2012
|
Dec. 31, 2011
|
Dec. 31, 2013
AstraZeneca LP [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2012
AstraZeneca LP [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2011
AstraZeneca LP [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 1998
AstraZeneca LP [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 1993
AMI [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2013
Sanofi Pasteur MSD [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2012
Sanofi Pasteur MSD [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2011
Sanofi Pasteur MSD [Member]
|
Sep. 29, 2011
Johnson & Johnson Merck Consumer Pharmaceuticals Company [Member]
|
Dec. 31, 2011
Johnson & Johnson Merck Consumer Pharmaceuticals Company [Member]
|
|
| Equity Income from Affiliates [Line Items] | |||||||||||||
| Percentage of ownership in joint venture | 50.00% | ||||||||||||
| Limited partner interest in AZLP | 1.00% | ||||||||||||
| General partner interest in AZLP | 99.00% | ||||||||||||
| Revenue from AZLP | $ 920,000,000 | $ 915,000,000 | $ 1,200,000,000 | ||||||||||
| Agreed-upon payment to be made by AstraZeneca at closing for exercise of option | 327,000,000 | ||||||||||||
| Multiple of average annual profit allocation to be included in option exercise price | 10 | ||||||||||||
| Years prior to option exercise to be included in average annual profit allocation portion of exercise price | 3 years | ||||||||||||
| Sales of products marketed by the joint venture | 4,611,000,000 | 4,694,000,000 | 4,659,000,000 | 1,200,000,000 | 1,100,000,000 | 1,100,000,000 | 62,000,000 | ||||||
| Percentage of interest in equity method investment sold by Merck | 50.00% | ||||||||||||
| Gain on disposition of interest in equity method investment | 0 | 0 | 136,000,000 | 136,000,000 | |||||||||
| Proceeds from sale of interest in equity method investment | 0 | 0 | 175,000,000 | 175,000,000 | |||||||||
| Investments in affiliates accounted for using the equity method | 1,600,000,000 | 1,300,000,000 | |||||||||||
| Amounts due from equity method affiliates | $ 277,000,000 | $ 302,000,000 | |||||||||||