2.2.0.25truefalse40701 - Disclosure - DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS (Narrative) (Details)truefalseIn Millions, except Per Share datafalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2009 - 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$2falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2008 - 12/31/2008
USD ($)
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$3falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis} : Medical Imaging [Member]
1/1/2008 - 1/31/2008
USD ($)
$Duration_1_1_2008_To_1_31_2008http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272duration2008-01-01T00:00:002008-01-31T00:00:00falsefalseMedical Imaging [Member]us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldibmy_MedicalImagingMemberus-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxisexplicitMemberUnit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/
2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$4falsefalseUSDtruefalse{dei_LegalEntityAxis} : Medical Imaging [Member]
1/1/2008 - 12/31/2008
USD ($)
$Duration_1_1_2008_To_12_31_200830http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272duration2008-01-01T00:00:002008-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseMedical Imaging [Member]dei_LegalEntityAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldibmy_MedicalImagingMemberdei_LegalEntityAxisexplicitMemberUnit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USD<
MeasureNamespace>iso42170USDUSD$5falsefalseUSDtruefalse{dei_LegalEntityAxis} : ConvaTec [Member]
1/1/2008 - 12/31/2008
USD ($)
$Duration_1_1_2008_To_12_31_200811http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272duration2008-01-01T00:00:002008-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseConvaTec [Member]dei_LegalEntityAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldibmy_ConvatecMemberdei_LegalEntityAxisexplicitMemberUnit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$6falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis} : ConvaTec [Member]
8/1/2008 - 8/31/2008
USD ($)
$Duration_8_1_2008_To_8_31_2008http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272duration2008-08-01T00:00:002008-08-31T00:00:00falsefalseConvaTec [Member]us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldibmy_ConvatecMemberus-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxisexplicitMemberUnit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$7falsefalseUSDtruefalse{dei_LegalEntityAxis} : Mead Johnson [Member]
12/1/2009 - 12/31/2009
USD ($)
$Duration_12_1_2009_To_12_31_2009http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272duration2009-12-01T00:00:002009-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseMead Johnson [Member]dei_LegalEntityAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldibmy_MeadJohnsonMemberdei_LegalEntityAxisexplicitMemberUnit15Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$8falsefalseUSDtruefalse{dei_LegalEntityAxis} : Mead Johnson [Member]
12/1/2009 - 12/23/2009
USD ($)
$Duration_12_1_2009_To_12_23_2009http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272duration2009-12-01T00:00:002009-12-23T00:00:00falsefalseMead Johnson [Member]dei_LegalEntityAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldibmy_MeadJohnsonMemberdei_LegalEntityAxisexplicitMemberUnit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit12Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$9falsefalseUSDtruefalse{dei_LegalEntityAxis} : Mead Johnson [Member]
1/1/2009 - 12/31/2009
USD ($)
$Duration_1_1_2009_To_12_31_20092256http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000014272duration2009-01-01T00:00:002009-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseMead Johnson [Member]dei_LegalEntityAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldibmy_MeadJohnsonMemberdei_LegalEntityAxisexplicitMemberUnit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$2false0bmy_PreviouslyHeldSubsidiarySharesExchangedInSplitOffbmyfalsenadurationThe number of shares of previously held subsidiary common stock exchanged in the split-off transaction.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefals
efalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7truefalsefalse170000000170falsefalsefalsetruefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse9falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesThe number of shares of previously held subsidiary common stock exchange
d in the split-off transaction.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse3false0bmy_ParentCompanySharesReceivedInSplitOffbmyfalsenadurationThe number of parent company shares received in the split-off transaction and reflected as treasury stock.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse269000000269falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsef
alsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7truefalsefalse269000000269falsefalsefalsetruefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse9falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesThe number of parent company shares received in the split-off transaction and reflected as treasury stock.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse4false0us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationGainLossFromDisposalOfDiscontinuedOperationBeforeIncomeTaxus-gaaptruecreditdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1<
IsNumeric>truefalsefalse72750000007275falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse34120000003412falsetruefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse2500000025falsetruefalsetruefalse4truefalsefalse2500000025falsetruefalsetruefalse5truefalsefalse33870000003387falsetruefalsetruefalse6truefalsefalse33870000003387falsetruefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse8truefalsefalse72750000007275falsetruefalsetruefalse9truefalsefalse72750000007275falsetruefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryPretax gain (loss), not previously recognized and resulting from the sale of a business component, which is recognized at the date of sale. A gain (loss) reflects the amount by which the consideration received exceeds (is exceeded by) the net carrying amount (reflecting previous provisions for loss on disp
osal, if any) of the disposal group.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 144
-Paragraph 43
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 144
-Paragraph 47
-Subparagraph b
falsefalse5false0us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationGainLossOnDisposalOfDiscontinuedOperationNetOfTaxus-gaaptruecreditdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse71570000007157falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse19790000001979falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse4300000043falsefalsefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6truefalsefalse20220000002022falsefalsefalsetruefalse7truefalsefalse71570000007157falsefalsefalsetruefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse9falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryGain (loss) after tax expense (benefit), not previously recognized and resulting from the sale of a business component, which is recognized at the date of sale. A gain (loss) reflects the amount by which the consideration received exceeds (is exceeded by) the net carrying amount (reflecting previous provisions for loss on d
isposal, if any) of the disposal group.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 144
-Paragraph 43
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 144
-Paragraph 47
-Subparagraph b
falsefalse6false0bmy_SplitOffParentCompanyShareClosingPricebmyfalsenainstantThe closing price on the transaction date utilized to value parent company shares received in the split-off transaction.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefal
se7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse8truefalsefalse25.7025.70falsetruefalsetruefals
e9falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseEPSus-types:perShareItemTypedecimalThe closing price on the transaction date utilized to value parent company shares received in the split-off transaction.No authoritative reference available.falsetrue7false0us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinessesus-gaaptruedebitdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse45300000004530falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse525000000525falsefalsefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6truefalsefalse40500000004050falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse9falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe cash inflow associated with the amount received from the sale of a portion of the company's business, for example a segment, division, branch or other business, during the period.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 95
-Paragraph 15, 16
falsefalse8false0bmy_TaxReserveIncludedInDeterminationOfGainUponSplitOffbmyfalsecreditinstantThe tax reserve included in determining the gain on exchange of the split off transaction.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsef
alse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse8truefalsefalse244000000244falsetruefalsetruefalse9falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe tax reserve included in determining the gain on exchange of the split off transaction.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse<
/Rows>97DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)MillionsMillionsNoRoundingUnKnownfalsetrue
