2.2.0.25falsefalse42001 - Disclosure - EQUITY (Narrative) (Details)truefalseShare data in Millions, except Per Share datafalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse5/1/2010 - 5/31/2010
USD ($)
$Duration_5_1_2010_To_5_31_2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272duration2010-05-01T00:00:002010-05-31T00:00:00Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$2falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010
USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
$Duration_1_1_2010_To_12_31_2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0Unit12Divide<
MeasureSchema>http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit15Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$3falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2009 - 12/31/2009
USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
$Duration_1_1_2009_To_12_31_2009http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272duration2009-01-01T00:00:002009-12-31T00:00:00Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit15Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit12Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0USDUSD$4falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2008 - 12/31/2008
USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
$Duration_1_1_2008_To_12_31_20083http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272duration2008-01-01T00:00:002008-12-31T00:00:00Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit15Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0Unit12Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2true0us-gaap_EquityAbstractus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringNo definition available.falsefalse3false0bmy_IncomeTaxExpenseNoncontrollingInterestbmyfalsedebitdurationThis element represents income taxes on net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00<
NonNumbericText />falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse683000000683000000falsetruefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse589000000589000000
falsetruefalsefalsefalse4truefalsefalse472000000472000000falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThis element represents income taxes on net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse4false0us-gaap_IncomeLossFromDiscontinuedOperationsNetOfTaxAttributableToNoncontrollingInterestus-gaaptruedebitdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetruenegated1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse6900000069000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4truefalsefalse70000007000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThis element represents the overall income (loss) from a disposal group that is classified as a component of the entity, net of income tax, reported as a separate component of income before extraordinary items and the cumulative effect of accounting changes, which is apportioned to that ownership interest in subsidiary equity which is not attributable to the parent (noncontrolling interest, minority interest). This item includes the following (net of tax): income (loss) from operations during the phase-out period, gain (loss) on disposal, provision (or any reversals of earlier provisions) for loss on disposal, a
nd adjustments of a prior period gain (loss) on disposal.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB)
-Number 51
-Paragraph 29
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB)
-Number 51
-Paragraph 38
-Subparagraph a
Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB)
-Number 51
-Paragraph 25
falsefalse5false0bmy_AuthorizationToRepurchaseCommonStockAmountbmyfalsecreditdurationThe amount of common stock authorized to be repurchased as part of a stock repurchase program.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse30000000003000000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of common stock authorized to be repurchased as part of a stock repurchase program.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse6false0us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquiredus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse2
300000023falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesNumber of shares that have been repurchased during the period and are being held in treasury.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)
-Number 12
-Paragraph 10
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 04
-Article 3
Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 29, 30
-Article 5
falsefalse7false0us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShareus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefal
sefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse25.5025.50falsetruefalsefalsefalse3falsefa
lsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseEPSus-types:perShareItemTypedecimalTotal cost of shares repurchased divided by the total number of shares repurchased.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB)
-Number 43
-Chapter 1
-Section B
-Paragraph 7
-Subparagraph b
falsetrue8false0us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethodus-gaaptruedebitdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse587000000587000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryCost of common and preferred stock that were repurchased during the period. Recorded using the cost method.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)
-Number 12
-Paragraph 10
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 04
-Article 3
Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB)
-Number 43
-Chapter 1
-Section B
-Paragraph 7
-Subparagraph b
falsefalse9false0bmy_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethodTransactionFeesbmyfalsedebitdurationTreasury Stock Value Acquired Cost Method Transaction Feesfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel<
Id>1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse10000001000000falsetruefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryTreasury Stock Value Acquired Cost Method Transaction FeesNo authoritative reference available.falsefalse48EQUITY (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)NoRoundingMillionsNoRoundingUnKnownfalsetrue
