Contingencies and commitments	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Contingencies and commitments	Contingencies and commitments Contingencies In the ordinary course of business, we are involved in various legal proceedings and other matters, including those discussed in this Note, that are complex in nature and have outcomes that are difficult to predict. See Note 18, Contingencies and commitments to our consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, for further discussion of certain of our legal proceedings and other matters. We record accruals for loss contingencies to the extent that we conclude that it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the related loss can be reasonably estimated. We evaluate, on a quarterly basis, developments in legal proceedings and other matters that could cause an increase or decrease in the amount of the liability that has been accrued previously. Our legal proceedings range from cases brought by a single plaintiff to a class action with thousands of putative class members. These legal proceedings, as well as other matters, involve various aspects of our business and a variety of claims (including but not limited to marketing, pricing and trade practices and securities law), some of which present novel factual allegations and/or unique legal theories. In each of the matters described in this filing or in Note 18, Contingencies and commitments to our consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, plaintiffs seek an award of a not-yet-quantified amount of damages or an amount that is not material. In addition, a number of the matters pending against us are at very early stages of the legal process (which in complex proceedings of the sort faced by us often extend for several years). As a result, none of the matters described in these filings have progressed sufficiently through discovery and/or development of important factual information and legal issues to enable us to estimate a range of possible loss, if any, or such amounts are not material. While it is not possible to accurately predict or determine the eventual outcomes of these items, an adverse determination in one or more of these items currently pending could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flows. Certain recent developments concerning our legal proceedings and other matters are discussed below: State Derivative Litigation Birch v. Sharer, et al. Following plaintiff's voluntary motion to dismiss without prejudice this stockholder derivative lawsuit pending against Amgen and the individual defendants, on March 26, 2013, the Los Angeles Superior Court dismissed the matter without prejudice. Purnell v. Sharer, et al. On April 26, 2013, Amgen and the individual defendants filed a motion to dismiss this stockholder derivative lawsuit based on demand futility or, in the alternative, a motion to stay the action. Oral argument has been set for August 15, 2013. Other Qui Tam Actions As previously disclosed, in October 2011 Amgen announced it had reached an agreement in principle to settle various allegations related to its sales and marketing practices arising out of several federal investigations, and on December 19, 2012, Amgen announced that it had finalized a settlement agreement with the U.S. government, 49 states and the District of Columbia related to those allegations (the 2012 Settlement). As previously disclosed, as part of those settlement discussions, Amgen was made aware that it was a defendant in several other civil qui tam actions (the Other Qui Tams) in addition to those included in the October 2011 agreement in principle. As previously disclosed, one of the Other Qui Tams was resolved by the 2012 Settlement and Amgen has been dismissed from two additional Other Qui Tams. Amgen has entered into a settlement agreement to resolve for an immaterial amount the fourth Other Qui Tam, which had been filed in the U.S. District Court for South Carolina. This matter included allegations that Amgen's market share rebate agreements with various long-term care pharmacy providers and the therapeutic interchange programs allegedly instituted by the long-term care pharmacy providers did not comply with the safe harbor requirements of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute. Amgen denied all of these allegations that were resolved by the settlement. Amgen has also reached an agreement in principle to resolve the fifth and final Other Qui Tam action, which remains under seal in the U.S. federal court in which it was filed, for an immaterial amount. This final Other Qui Tam action includes allegations that Amgen's promotional, contracting, sales and marketing activities and arrangements relating to Aranesp^®, NEUPOGEN^®, Neulasta^®, XGEVA^®, Prolia^®, Vectibix^® and Nplate^® caused the submission of various false claims under the Federal Civil False Claims Act; until the proposed settlement becomes final, there can be no guarantee that this fifth Other Qui Tam action will be resolved by the agreement in principle.

Contingencies and commitments

Contingencies

In the ordinary course of business, we are involved in various legal proceedings and other matters, including those discussed in this Note, that are complex in nature and have outcomes that are difficult to predict. See Note 18, Contingencies and commitments to our consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, for further discussion of certain of our legal proceedings and other matters.

We record accruals for loss contingencies to the extent that we conclude that it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the related loss can be reasonably estimated. We evaluate, on a quarterly basis, developments in legal proceedings and other matters that could cause an increase or decrease in the amount of the liability that has been accrued previously.

Our legal proceedings range from cases brought by a single plaintiff to a class action with thousands of putative class members. These legal proceedings, as well as other matters, involve various aspects of our business and a variety of claims (including but not limited to marketing, pricing and trade practices and securities law), some of which present novel factual allegations and/or unique legal theories. In each of the matters described in this filing or in Note 18, Contingencies and commitments to our consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, plaintiffs seek an award of a not-yet-quantified amount of damages or an amount that is not material. In addition, a number of the matters pending against us are at very early stages of the legal process (which in complex proceedings of the sort faced by us often extend for several years). As a result, none of the matters described in these filings have progressed sufficiently through discovery and/or development of important factual information and legal issues to enable us to estimate a range of possible loss, if any, or such amounts are not material. While it is not possible to accurately predict or determine the eventual outcomes of these items, an adverse determination in one or more of these items currently pending could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flows.

Certain recent developments concerning our legal proceedings and other matters are discussed below:

State Derivative Litigation

Birch v. Sharer, et al.

Following plaintiff's voluntary motion to dismiss without prejudice this stockholder derivative lawsuit pending against Amgen and the individual defendants, on March 26, 2013, the Los Angeles Superior Court dismissed the matter without prejudice.

Purnell v. Sharer, et al.

On April 26, 2013, Amgen and the individual defendants filed a motion to dismiss this stockholder derivative lawsuit based on demand futility or, in the alternative, a motion to stay the action. Oral argument has been set for August 15, 2013.

Other Qui Tam Actions

As previously disclosed, in October 2011 Amgen announced it had reached an agreement in principle to settle various allegations related to its sales and marketing practices arising out of several federal investigations, and on December 19, 2012, Amgen announced that it had finalized a settlement agreement with the U.S. government, 49 states and the District of Columbia related to those allegations (the 2012 Settlement). As previously disclosed, as part of those settlement discussions, Amgen was made aware that it was a defendant in several other civil qui tam actions (the Other Qui Tams) in addition to those included in the October 2011 agreement in principle. As previously disclosed, one of the Other Qui Tams was resolved by the 2012 Settlement and Amgen has been dismissed from two additional Other Qui Tams. Amgen has entered into a settlement agreement to resolve for an immaterial amount the fourth Other Qui Tam, which had been filed in the U.S. District Court for South Carolina. This matter included allegations that Amgen's market share rebate agreements with various long-term care pharmacy providers and the therapeutic interchange programs allegedly instituted by the long-term care pharmacy providers did not comply with the safe harbor requirements of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute. Amgen denied all of these allegations that were resolved by the settlement. Amgen has also reached an agreement in principle to resolve the fifth and final Other Qui Tam action, which remains under seal in the U.S. federal court in which it was filed, for an immaterial amount. This final Other Qui Tam action includes allegations that Amgen's promotional, contracting, sales and marketing activities and arrangements relating to Aranesp^®, NEUPOGEN^®, Neulasta^®, XGEVA^®, Prolia^®, Vectibix^® and Nplate^® caused the submission of various false claims under the Federal Civil False Claims Act; until the proposed settlement becomes final, there can be no guarantee that this fifth Other Qui Tam action will be resolved by the agreement in principle.