2.2.0.25truefalse40501 - Disclosure - ACQUISITIONS (Narrative) (Details)truefalseIn Millions, unless otherwise specifiedfalse1falsefalseUSDtruefalse{dei_LegalEntityAxis} : ZymoGenetics Acquisition [Member]
12/31/2010
USD ($)
$As_Of_12_31_20104http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272instant2010-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseZymoGenetics Acquisition [Member]dei_LegalEntityAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldibmy_ZymogeneticsAcquisitionMemberdei_LegalEntityAxisexplicitMemberUnit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$2falsefalseUSDtruefalse{dei_LegalEntityAxis} : ZymoGenetics Acquisition [Member]
10/31/2010
USD ($)
$As_Of_10_31_2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272instant2010-10-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseZymoGenetics Acquisition [Member]dei_LegalEntityAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldibmy_ZymogeneticsAcquisitionMemberdei_LegalEntityAxisexplicitMemberUnit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USD<
MeasureNamespace>iso42170Unit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0USDUSD$3falsefalseUSDtruefalse{dei_LegalEntityAxis} : Medarex Acquisition [Member]
12/31/2009
USD ($)
$As_Of_12_31_20096http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272instant2009-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseMedarex Acquisition [Member]dei_LegalEntityAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldibmy_MedarexAcquisitionMemberdei_LegalEntityAxisexplicitMemberUnit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$4falsefalsetruefalse{dei_LegalEntityAxis} : Medarex Acquisition [Member]
9/1/2009
As_Of_9_1_2009http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272instant2009-09-01T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseMedarex Acquisition [Member]dei_LegalEntityAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldibmy_MedarexAcquisitionMemberdei_LegalEntityAxisexplicitMemberUnit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli05falsefalseUSDtruefalse{dei_LegalEntityAxis} : Medarex [Member]
12/31/2009
USD ($)
$As_Of_12_31_200939http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272instant2009-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseMedarex [Member]dei_LegalEntityAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldibmy_MedarexMemberdei_LegalEntityAxisexplicitMemberUnit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$6falsefalseUSDtruefalse{dei_LegalEntityAxis} : Kosan Biosciences, Inc Acquisition [Member]
4/1/2008 - 6/30/2008
USD ($)
$Duration_4_1_2008_To_6_30_2008http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272duration2008-04-01T00:00:002008-06-30T00:00:00falsefalseKosan Biosciences, Inc Acquisition [Member]dei_LegalEntityAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldibmy_KosanBiosciencesIncAcquisitionMemberdei_LegalEntityAxisexplicitMemberUnit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217<
MeasureValue>USDiso42170USDUSD$2false0us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPercentageOfVotingInterestsAcquiredus-gaaptruenainstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse2truetruefalse11falsefalsefalsetruefalse3falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse4truetruefalse11falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepurePercentage of voting equity interests acquired in the business combination.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141R
-Paragraph 68
-Subparagraph c
falsefalse3false0us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionCostOfAcquiredEntityCashPaidus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse885000000885falsetruefalsetruefalse2truefalsefalse885000000885falsetruefalsetruefalse3truefalsefalse22850000002285falsetruefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse
5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryAmount of cash paid to acquire the entity.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141R
-Paragraph 68
-Subparagraph f(1)
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 51
-Subparagraph d
falsefalse4false0us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionCostOfAcquiredEntityPurchasePriceus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1fal
sefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5true<
IsRatio>falsefalse23310000002331falsefalsefalsetruefalse6truefalsefalse191000000191falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe total cost of the acquired entity including the cash paid to shareholders of acquired entities, fair value of debt and equity securities issued to shareholders of acquired entities, the fair value of the liabilities assumed, and direct costs of the acquisition.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 51
-Subparagraph d
falsefalse5false0us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionCostOfAcquiredEntityTransactionCostsus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse1000000010falsefalsefalsetruefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse3truefalsefalse1100000011falsefalsefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMo
netaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryAmount of direct costs of the business combination including legal, accounting, and other costs incurred to consummate the business acquisition.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 51
-Subparagraph d
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 24
falsefalse6false0bmy_PurchasePriceAllocationResearchAndDevlopmentAmountbmyfalsedebitdurationPurchase Price Allocation, Research And Devlopment Amountfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse3fal
sefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6truefalsefalse3200000032falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryPurchase Price Allocation, Research And Devlopment AmountNo authoritative reference available.falsefalse7false0bmy_PurchasePriceAllocationOtherNetAssetAmountbmyfalsedebitdurationPurchase Price Allocation, Other Net Asset Amountfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00<
CurrencyCode />falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6truefalsefalse3200000032<
CurrencyCode />falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryPurchase Price Allocation, Other Net Asset AmountNo authoritative reference available.falsefalse8false0us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationGoodwillAmountus-gaaptruedebitinstantN
o definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse1500000015falsetruefalsetruefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse3truefalsefalse508000000508falsetruefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefals
e6truefalsefalse127000000127falsetruefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryAmount of goodwill arising from a business combination, which is the excess of the cost of the acquired entity over the amounts assigned to assets acquired and liabilities assumed.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 52
-Subparagraph c
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 53
-Subparagraph d
falsefalse67ACQUISITIONS (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)MillionsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruetrue
