2.2.0.7 true Income Taxes (Details) (USD $) 0614 - Disclosure - Income Taxes (Details) true false In Millions false false 1 USD false false USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 Pure Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance pure xbrli 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 $ false 2 USD false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 Pure Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance pure xbrli 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 $ false 3 USD false false USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 $ false 4 USD false false USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 Pure Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance pure xbrli 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 $ false 5 USD false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 Pure Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance pure xbrli 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 $ false 6 USD false false USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 $ false 7 USD false false USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 $ 2 2 us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperationsTaxRateReconciliationAbstract us-gaap true na duration No definition available. false false false false false true false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false false false false 0 0 false false false 5 false false false false 0 0 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:stringItemType string No definition available. false 3 2 us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate us-gaap true na duration No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false true false false 0.35 0.35 false false false 2 false true false false 0.35 0.35 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false true false false 0.35 0.35 false false false 5 false true false false 0.35 0.35 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false us-types:percentItemType pure The domestic federal statutory tax rate applicable under enacted tax laws to the Company's pretax income from continuing operations for the period. The "statutory" tax rate shall be the regular tax rate if there are alternative tax systems. 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No authoritative reference available. false 5 2 biib_TaxesOnForeignEarnings biib false na duration The portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate that can... false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false true false false -0.136 -0.136 false false false 2 false true false false -0.077 -0.077 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false true false false -0.108 -0.108 false false false 5 false true false false -0.058 -0.058 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false us-types:percentItemType pure The portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate that can be explained by the difference between statutory income tax rates in foreign jurisdictions and the domestic federal statutory income tax rate recorded during the period and other items related to international earnings. No authoritative reference available. false 6 2 us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationTaxCredits us-gaap true na duration No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false true false false -0.043 -0.043 false false false 2 false true false false -0.015 -0.015 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false true false false -0.022 -0.022 false false false 5 false true false false -0.041 -0.041 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false us-types:percentItemType pure The sum of the differences between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate that can be explained by all tax credits generated or utilized under enacted tax laws during the period. No authoritative reference available. false 7 2 us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseAmortization us-gaap true na duration No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false terselabel false 1 false true false false 0.029 0.029 false false false 2 false true false false 0.009 0.009 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false true false false 0.018 0.018 false false false 5 false true false false 0.02 0.02 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false us-types:percentItemType pure The portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate that can be explained by the different amortization methods allowed under generally accepted accounting principles and enacted tax laws. No authoritative reference available. false 8 2 us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseResearchAndDevelopment us-gaap true na duration No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false true false false 0.216 0.216 false false false 2 false true false false 0.009 0.009 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false true false false 0.052 0.052 false false false 5 false true false false 0.011 0.011 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false us-types:percentItemType pure The portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate attributable to nondeductible research and development expenses, including expenses associated with in-process research and development activities, under enacted tax laws. No authoritative reference available. false 9 2 biib_NonDeductibleItems biib false na duration The portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate... false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false true false false -0.038 -0.038 false false false 2 false true false false -0.01 -0.01 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false true false false -0.021 -0.021 false false false 5 false true false false -0.015 -0.015 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false us-types:percentItemType pure The portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate attributable to nondeductible expenses under enacted tax laws. No authoritative reference available. false 10 2 us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationOtherAdjustments us-gaap true na duration No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false totallabel false 1 false true false false -0.001 -0.001 false false false 2 false true false false 0.002 0.002 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false true false false -0.002 -0.002 false false false 5 false true false false 0.005 0.005 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false us-types:percentItemType pure The portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate attributable to all other items not otherwise listed in the existing taxonomy. No authoritative reference available. true 11 2 us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations us-gaap true na duration No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false totallabel false 1 false true false false 0.401 0.401 false false false 2 false true false false 0.29 0.29 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false true false false 0.287 0.287 false false false 5 false true false false 0.288 0.288 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false us-types:percentItemType pure A ratio calculated by dividing the reported amount of income tax expense attributable to continuing operations for the period by GAAP-basis pretax income from continuing operations. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 109 -Paragraph 47 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 08 -Paragraph h -Subparagraph 2 -Article 4 true 15 2 biib_IncomeTaxesTextualsAbstract biib false na duration Income Taxes Textuals. false false false false false true false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false false false false 0 0 false false false 5 false false false false 0 0 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:stringItemType string Income Taxes Textuals. false 16 2 us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations us-gaap true na duration No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false true false false 0.401 0.401 false false false 2 false true false false 0.29 0.29 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false true false false 0.287 0.287 false false false 5 false true false false 0.288 0.288 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false us-types:percentItemType pure A ratio calculated by dividing the reported amount of income tax expense attributable to continuing operations for the period by GAAP-basis pretax income from continuing operations. 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No authoritative reference available. false 18 2 us-gaap_IncomeTaxExaminationRangeOfPossibleLosses us-gaap true credit instant No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false terselabel false 1 false true false false 142400000 142.4 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false true false false 142400000 142.4 false false false 5 false false false false 0 0 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary The estimated range of reasonably possible losses resulting from an adverse position taken by a taxing authority. 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No authoritative reference available. false 22 0 na true na na No definition available. false true false false false false false false false false false http://biogenidec.com/role/incometaxesdetails false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false false false false 0 0 false false false 5 false false false false 0 0 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false false 8 USD true false false false Knopp [Member] us-gaap_VariableInterestByInterestTypeAxis xbrldi http://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldi biib_VariableInterestEnterpriseThreeMember us-gaap_VariableInterestByInterestTypeAxis explicitMember USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 Pure Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance pure xbrli 0 $ false 9 USD true false false false Knopp [Member] us-gaap_VariableInterestByInterestTypeAxis xbrldi http://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldi biib_VariableInterestEnterpriseThreeMember us-gaap_VariableInterestByInterestTypeAxis explicitMember USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 Pure Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance pure xbrli 0 $ na No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 33 2 biib_IncomeTaxesLineItems biib false na duration Income Taxes Line Items. false false false false false true false false false false false label false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 false false false false 0 0 false false false 5 false false false false 0 0 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:stringItemType string Income Taxes Line Items. false 34 2 biib_AllocatedResearchAndDevelopmentChargeToNoncontrollingInterest biib false debit duration Allocated research and development charge to the noncontrolling interest. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 true true false false 145000000 145.0 false false false 2 false false false false 0 0 false false false 3 false false false false 0 0 false false false 4 true true false false 145000000 145.0 false false false 5 false false false false 0 0 false false false 6 false false false false 0 0 false false false 7 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:monetaryItemType monetary Allocated research and development charge to the noncontrolling interest. 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