Basis of Presentation (Policies)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	Recent Accounting Pronouncements Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements ASU No. 2016-13 In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326). The standard changes how credit losses are measured for most financial assets and certain other instruments. For trade and other receivables, held-to-maturity debt securities, loans and other financial instruments, the standard requires the use of a new forward-looking "expected credit loss" model that generally will result in the earlier recognition of allowances for losses. For available-for-sale debt securities with unrealized losses, the standard now requires allowances to be recorded instead of reducing the amortized cost of the investment. AbbVie adopted the standard in the first quarter of 2020. The adoption did not have a material impact on the company's consolidated financial statements. Upon adoption of the standard, accounts receivable are stated at amortized cost less allowance for credit losses. The allowance for credit losses reflects the best estimate of future losses over the contractual life of outstanding accounts receivable and is determined on the basis of historical experience, specific allowances for known troubled accounts, other currently available information including customer financial condition, and both current and forecasted economic conditions. The allowance for credit losses was $46 million at March 31, 2020. There were no significant changes in credit loss risk factors that impacted the company's recorded allowance during the three months ended March 31, 2020. Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted ASU No. 2019-12 In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740). The standard includes simplifications related to accounting for income taxes including removing certain exceptions related to the approach for intraperiod tax allocation and the recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis differences. The standard also clarifies the accounting for transactions that result in a step-up in the tax basis of goodwill. The standard will be effective for AbbVie starting with the first quarter of 2021. AbbVie is currently assessing the impact of this guidance on its consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326). The standard changes how credit losses are measured for most financial assets and certain other instruments. For trade and other receivables, held-to-maturity debt securities, loans and other financial instruments, the standard requires the use of a new forward-looking "expected credit loss" model that generally will result in the earlier recognition of allowances for losses. For available-for-sale debt securities with unrealized losses, the standard now requires allowances to be recorded instead of reducing the amortized cost of the investment. AbbVie adopted the standard in the first quarter of 2020. The adoption did not have a material impact on the company's consolidated financial statements.

Upon adoption of the standard, accounts receivable are stated at amortized cost less allowance for credit losses. The allowance for credit losses reflects the best estimate of future losses over the contractual life of outstanding accounts receivable and is determined on the basis of historical experience, specific allowances for known troubled accounts, other currently available information including customer financial condition, and both current and forecasted economic conditions. The allowance for credit losses was $46 million at March 31, 2020. There were no significant changes in credit loss risk factors that impacted the company's recorded allowance during the three months ended March 31, 2020.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740). The standard includes simplifications related to accounting for income taxes including removing certain exceptions related to the approach for intraperiod tax allocation and the recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis differences. The standard also clarifies the accounting for transactions that result in a step-up in the tax basis of goodwill. The standard will be effective for AbbVie starting with the first quarter of 2021. AbbVie is currently assessing the impact of this guidance on its consolidated financial statements.