Collaborative Arrangements	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Collaborative Arrangements [Abstract]
Collaborative Arrangements	COLLABORATIVE ARRANGEMENTS From time to time, as a result of entering into strategic collaborations, we may hold investments in non-public companies. We review our interests in investee companies for consolidation and/or appropriate disclosure based on applicable guidance. Contractual terms which provide us control over an entity may require us to consolidate the entity. Entities consolidated because they are controlled by means other than a majority voting interest are referred to as variable interest entities (VIE). We assess whether we are the primary beneficiary of a VIE based on our power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE's economic performance and our obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. As of March 31, 2012, we determined that certain of our investee companies are VIEs; however, other than with respect to our joint ventures with BMS, we are not the primary beneficiary and therefore do not consolidate these investees. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company North America In 2004, we entered into a collaboration arrangement with BMS in the United States to develop and commercialize a single-tablet regimen containing our Truvada and BMS's Sustiva (efavirenz), which we sell as Atripla. The collaboration is structured as a joint venture and operates as a limited liability company named Bristol-Myers Squibb & Gilead Sciences, LLC, which we consolidate. The ownership interests of the joint venture and thus the sharing of product revenue and costs reflect the respective economic interests of BMS and Gilead and are based on the proportions of the net selling price of Atripla attributable to efavirenz and Truvada. Since the net selling price for Truvada may change over time relative to the net selling price of efavirenz, both BMS's and our respective economic interests in the joint venture may vary annually. We and BMS share marketing and sales efforts, with both parties providing equivalent sales force efforts at levels agreed to annually by BMS and Gilead. Since the second quarter of 2011, except for a limited number of activities that will be jointly managed, the parties no longer coordinate detailing and promotional activities in the United States and the parties have begun to reduce their joint promotional efforts in Canada as we launched Complera and in anticipation of the launch of Quad. The parties will continue to collaborate on activities such as manufacturing, regulatory, compliance and pharmacovigilance. We are responsible for accounting, financial reporting, tax reporting, manufacturing and product distribution for the joint venture. Both parties provide their respective bulk active pharmaceutical ingredients to the joint venture at their approximate market values. In 2006, we and BMS amended the joint venture's collaboration agreement to allow the joint venture to sell Atripla into Canada. As of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the joint venture held efavirenz active pharmaceutical ingredient which it purchased from BMS at BMS's estimated net selling price of efavirenz in the U.S. market. These amounts are included in inventories on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of March 31, 2012, total assets held by the joint venture were $1.70 billion and consisted primarily of cash and cash equivalents of $204.7 million, accounts receivable (including intercompany receivables with Gilead) of $278.1 million and inventories of $1.20 billion; total liabilities were $1.56 billion and consisted primarily of accounts payable (including intercompany payables with Gilead) of $611.7 million and other accrued expenses of $284.3 million. As of December 31, 2011, total assets held by the joint venture were $1.62 billion and consisted primarily of cash and cash equivalents of $156.9 million, accounts receivable (including intercompany receivables with Gilead) of $266.5 million and inventories of $1.19 billion; total liabilities were $1.27 billion and consisted primarily of accounts payable (including intercompany payables with Gilead) of $561.1 million and other accrued expenses of $232.9 million. These asset and liability amounts do not reflect the impact of intercompany eliminations that are included in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Although we are the primary beneficiary of the joint venture, the legal structure of the joint venture limits the recourse that its creditors will have over our general credit or assets. Europe In 2007, Gilead Sciences Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary in Ireland, and BMS entered into a collaboration arrangement to commercialize and distribute Atripla in the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland (collectively, the European Territory). The parties formed a limited liability company which we consolidate, to manufacture Atripla for distribution in the European Territory using efavirenz that it purchases from BMS at BMS's estimated net selling price of efavirenz in the European Territory. We are responsible for product distribution, inventory management and warehousing. Through our local subsidiaries, we have primary responsibility for order fulfillment, collection of receivables, customer relations and handling of sales returns in all the territories where we co-promote Atripla with BMS. Starting in 2012, except for a limited number of activities that will be jointly managed, the parties no longer coordinate detailing and promotional activities in the region. We are also responsible for accounting, financial reporting and tax reporting for the collaboration. As of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, efavirenz purchased from BMS at BMS's estimated net selling price of efavirenz in the European Territory is included in inventories on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The parties also formed a limited liability company to hold the marketing authorization for Atripla in Europe. We have primary responsibility for regulatory activities and we share marketing and sales efforts with BMS. In the major market countries, both parties have agreed to provide equivalent sales force efforts. Revenue and cost sharing is based on the relative ratio of the respective net selling prices of Truvada and efavirenz.

COLLABORATIVE ARRANGEMENTS

From time to time, as a result of entering into strategic collaborations, we may hold investments in non-public companies. We review our interests in investee companies for consolidation and/or appropriate disclosure based on applicable guidance. Contractual terms which provide us control over an entity may require us to consolidate the entity. Entities consolidated because they are controlled by means other than a majority voting interest are referred to as variable interest entities (VIE). We assess whether we are the primary beneficiary of a VIE based on our power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE's economic performance and our obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. As of March 31, 2012, we determined that certain of our investee companies are VIEs; however, other than with respect to our joint ventures with BMS, we are not the primary beneficiary and therefore do not consolidate these investees.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company

North America

In 2004, we entered into a collaboration arrangement with BMS in the United States to develop and commercialize a single-tablet regimen containing our Truvada and BMS's Sustiva (efavirenz), which we sell as Atripla. The collaboration is structured as a joint venture and operates as a limited liability company named Bristol-Myers Squibb & Gilead Sciences, LLC, which we consolidate. The ownership interests of the joint venture and thus the sharing of product revenue and costs reflect the respective economic interests of BMS and Gilead and are based on the proportions of the net selling price of Atripla attributable to efavirenz and Truvada. Since the net selling price for Truvada may change over time relative to the net selling price of efavirenz, both BMS's and our respective economic interests in the joint venture may vary annually.

We and BMS share marketing and sales efforts, with both parties providing equivalent sales force efforts at levels agreed to annually by BMS and Gilead. Since the second quarter of 2011, except for a limited number of activities that will be jointly managed, the parties no longer coordinate detailing and promotional activities in the United States and the parties have begun to reduce their joint promotional efforts in Canada as we launched Complera and in anticipation of the launch of Quad. The parties will continue to collaborate on activities such as manufacturing, regulatory, compliance and pharmacovigilance. We are responsible for accounting, financial reporting, tax reporting, manufacturing and product distribution for the joint venture. Both parties provide their respective bulk active pharmaceutical ingredients to the joint venture at their approximate market values. In 2006, we and BMS amended the joint venture's collaboration agreement to allow the joint venture to sell Atripla into Canada. As of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the joint venture held efavirenz active pharmaceutical ingredient which it purchased from BMS at BMS's estimated net selling price of efavirenz in the U.S. market. These amounts are included in inventories on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of March 31, 2012, total assets held by the joint venture were $1.70 billion and consisted primarily of cash and cash equivalents of $204.7 million, accounts receivable (including intercompany receivables with Gilead) of $278.1 million and inventories of $1.20 billion; total liabilities were $1.56 billion and consisted primarily of accounts payable (including intercompany payables with Gilead) of $611.7 million and other accrued expenses of $284.3 million. As of December 31, 2011, total assets held by the joint venture were $1.62 billion and consisted primarily of cash and cash equivalents of $156.9 million, accounts receivable (including intercompany receivables with Gilead) of $266.5 million and inventories of $1.19 billion; total liabilities were $1.27 billion and consisted primarily of accounts payable (including intercompany payables with Gilead) of $561.1 million and other accrued expenses of $232.9 million. These asset and liability amounts do not reflect the impact of intercompany eliminations that are included in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Although we are the primary beneficiary of the joint venture, the legal structure of the joint venture limits the recourse that its creditors will have over our general credit or assets.

Europe

In 2007, Gilead Sciences Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary in Ireland, and BMS entered into a collaboration arrangement to commercialize and distribute Atripla in the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland (collectively, the European Territory). The parties formed a limited liability company which we consolidate, to manufacture Atripla for distribution in the European Territory using efavirenz that it purchases from BMS at BMS's estimated net selling price of efavirenz in the European Territory. We are responsible for product distribution, inventory management and warehousing. Through our local subsidiaries, we have primary responsibility for order fulfillment, collection of receivables, customer relations and handling of sales returns in all the territories where we co-promote Atripla with BMS.

Starting in 2012, except for a limited number of activities that will be jointly managed, the parties no longer coordinate detailing and promotional activities in the region. We are also responsible for accounting, financial reporting and tax reporting for the collaboration. As of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, efavirenz purchased from BMS at BMS's estimated net selling price of efavirenz in the European Territory is included in inventories on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

The parties also formed a limited liability company to hold the marketing authorization for Atripla in Europe. We have primary responsibility for regulatory activities and we share marketing and sales efforts with BMS. In the major market countries, both parties have agreed to provide equivalent sales force efforts. Revenue and cost sharing is based on the relative ratio of the respective net selling prices of Truvada and efavirenz.