v2.4.0.8
Contingencies and Environmental Liabilities - Fosamax Product Liability Litigation - Textual (Detail) (Fosamax [Member], USD $)
12 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Plaintiff
LegalMatter
Dec. 31, 2013
Cases Alleging ONJ [Member]
LegalMatter
Dec. 31, 2013
Femur Fracture [Member]
LegalMatter
Feb. 28, 2013
Federal [Member]
ONJ MDL [Member]
Oct. 31, 2010
Federal [Member]
ONJ MDL [Member]
Jun. 30, 2010
Federal [Member]
ONJ MDL [Member]
Dec. 31, 2013
Federal [Member]
ONJ MDL [Member]
LegalMatter
Dec. 31, 2013
Federal [Member]
Fosamax ONJ MDL [Member]
Plaintiff
Dec. 31, 2013
Federal [Member]
Femur Fracture MDL [Member]
LegalMatter
Dec. 31, 2013
New Jersey state court [Member]
Cases Alleging ONJ [Member]
LegalMatter
Dec. 31, 2013
New Jersey state court [Member]
Femur Fracture [Member]
LegalMatter
Dec. 31, 2013
California State Court [Member]
Femur Fracture [Member]
LegalMatter
Dec. 31, 2013
Other State Court [Member]
Femur Fracture [Member]
LegalMatter
Dec. 31, 2013
Cases Per Month Remanded [Member]
Federal [Member]
Fosamax ONJ MDL [Member]
LegalMatter
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]                            
Loss contingency, pending claims number 5,415 1,140 4,275       855   1,105 280 2,655 510 7 200
Number of plaintiff groups 5,680                          
Litigation settlement agreement amount   $ 27,700,000                        
Percentage of participation in litigation settlement condition   100.00%                        
Verdict amount       285,000   8,000,000                
Reduced verdict amount         $ 1,500,000                  
Cases tried to verdict             3              
Verdicts in favor of Merck under appeal by plaintiffs             2              
Loss contingency, claims dismissed number               425            
Initial number of cases selected for review                 40   30      
Subsequent number of cases selected for review                 33   50