2.2.0.25falsefalse41701 - Disclosure - ACCRUED EXPENSES (Accrued Expenses) (Details)truefalseIn Millionsfalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse12/31/2010 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $As_Of_12_31_2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272instant2010-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit12Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit15Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0USDUSD$2falsefalseUSDfalsefalse12/31/2009 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $As_Of_12_31_2009http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272instant2009-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit15Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit12Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2true0bmy_AccruedExpensesAbstractbmyfalsenadurationAccrued Expenses [Abstract]falsefalsefalsefals efalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringAccrued Expenses [Abstract]falsefalse3false0bmy_AccruedEmployeeCompensationAndBenefitsbmyfalsecreditinstantTotal of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable for...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse718000000718falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse659000000659falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryTotal of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable for obligations related to services received from employees, such as accrued salaries and bonuses, payroll taxes and fringe benefits, that are expected to be paid with in one year.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse4false0us-gaap_AccruedRoyaltiesCurrentus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse576000000576falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse570000000570falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryCarrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable for royalties. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 20 -Article 5 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB) -Number 43 -Chapter 3 -Section A -Paragraph 7, 8 falsefalse5false0bmy_AccruedResearchAndDevelopmentbmyfalsecreditinstantCarrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations and payables pertaining to research and development.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse411000000411falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse473000000473falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryCarrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations and payables pertaining to research and development.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse6false0us-gaap_RestructuringReserveCurrentus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse108000000108falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse142000000142falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryCarrying amount as of the balance sheet date of known and estimated obligations associated with exit from or disposal of business activities or restructurings pursuant to a duly authorized plan, excluding costs or losses pertaining to an entity newly acquired in a business combination, which are expected to be paid in the next twelve months or in the normal operating cycle if longer. Costs of such activities include those for one-time termination benefits, termination of an operating lease or other contr act, consolidating or closing facilities, and relocating employees, and costs associated with an ongoing benefit arrangement, but excludes costs associated with the retirement of a long-lived asset.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 5 -Section P -Subsection 4 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 146 -Paragraph 20 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF) -Number 95-3 falsefalse7false0us-gaap_PensionAndOtherPostretirementDefinedBenefitPlansCurrentLiabilitiesus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1tr uefalsefalse4700000047falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse4300000043falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryFor a classified balance sheet, the amount recognized in balance sheet as a current liability associated with an underfunded defined benefit plan.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph c Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 132R -Paragraph 3 falsefalse8false0bmy_AccruedLitigationbmyfalsecreditinstantCarrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred related to litigation that are expected to be paid within...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse5400000054falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse3900000039falsefalsefalsefalse< hasScenarios>falseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryCarrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred related to litigation that are expected to be paid within one year.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse9false0us-gaap_OtherAccruedLiabilitiesCurrentus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse826000000826falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse859000000859falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryCarrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable arising from transactions not otherwise specified in the taxonomy. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB) -Number 43 -Chapter 3 -Section A -Paragraph 7 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 20 -Article 5 falsefalse10false0us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesCurrentAndNoncurrentus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetotallabel1truefalsefalse27400000002740falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse27850000002785falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryCarrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred and payable, pertaining to costs that are statutory in nature, are incurred on contractual obligations, or accumulate over time and for which invoices have not yet been received or will not be rendered. Examples include taxes, interest, rent and utilities.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 15 -Subparagraph 5 -Article 9 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 15 -Subparagraph a -Article 7 truefalse29ACCRUED EXPENSES (Accrued Expenses) (Details) (USD $)MillionsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue