2.2.0.25truefalse41403 - Disclosure - Stock-Based Compensation (Schedule of Assumptions to Calculate the Estimated Fair Value of the Awards) (Details)truefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $Duration_1_1_2010_To_12_31_2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000882095duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00Unit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0Unit14Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2009 - 12/31/2009 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $Duration_1_1_2009_To_12_31_2009http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000882095duration2009-01-01T00:00:002009-12-31T00:00:00Unit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit14Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$3falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2008 - 12/31/2008 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $Duration_1_1_2008_To_12_31_2008http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000882095duration2008-01-01T00:00:002008-12-31T00:00:00Unit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit14Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0USDUSD$2false0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRateus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe estimated dividend rate (a percentage of the share price) to be paid (expected dividends) to holders of the underlying shares over the option's term.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 123R -Paragraph A240 -Subparagraph e(2)(c) falsefalse3false0natruenanaNo definition available.falsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsehttp://www.gilead.com/taxonomy/role/disclosurestockbasedcompensationscheduleofassumptionstocalculateestimatedfairvalueofawardsdetails1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsetruefalse{us-gaap_SubsidiarySaleOfStockAxis} : ESPP [Member] 1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010 Duration_1_1_2010_To_12_31_201023239http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000882095duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseESPP [Member]us-gaap_SubsidiarySaleOfStockAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_EmployeeStockMemberus-gaap_SubsidiarySaleOfStockAxisexplicitMemberUnit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli05falsefalsetruefalse{us-gaap_SubsidiarySaleOfStockAxis} : ESPP [Member] 1/1/2009 - 12/31/2009 Duration_1_1_2009_To_12_31_200922226http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000882095duration2009-01-01T00:00:002009-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseESPP [Member]us-gaap_SubsidiarySaleOfStockAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_EmployeeStockMemberus-gaap_SubsidiarySaleOfStockAxisexplicitMemberUnit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli06falsefalsetruefalse{us-gaap_SubsidiarySaleOfStockAxis} : ESPP [Member] 1/1/2008 - 12/31/2008 Duration_1_1_2008_To_12_31_20082262http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000882095duration2008-01-01T00:00:002008-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseESPP [Member]us-gaap_SubsidiarySaleOfStockAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_EmployeeStockMemberus-gaap_SubsidiarySaleOfStockAxisexplicitMemberUnit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0OthernaNo definition available.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse4false0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRateus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truetruefalse0.350.35falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.370.37falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.310.31falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe estimated measure of the percentage amount by which a share price is expected to fluctuate during a period. Volatility also may be defined as a probability-weighted measure of the dispersion of returns about the mean. The volatility of a share price is the standard deviation of the continuously compounded rates of return on the share over a specified period. That is the same as the standard deviation of the differences in the natural logarithms of the stock prices plus dividends, if any, over the period.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 123R -Paragraph A240 -Subparagraph e(2)(b) falsefalse5false0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedTermus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse1.31.3falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse1.31.3falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse1.21.2falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:decimalItemTypedecimalThe period of time a share-based award is expected to be outstanding. A share-based award's expected term shall be determined based on, among other factors, the instrument's contractual term and the effects of employees' expected exercise and post-vesting employment termination behavior. An entity is required to aggregate individual awards into relatively homogeneous groups.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 123R -Paragraph A240 -Subparagraph e(2)(a) Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 14 -Section D -Subsection 2 falsefalse6false0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRateus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truetruefalse0.0040.004falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.0070.007falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.0210.021falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe risk-free interest rate assumption that is used in valuing an option on its own shares.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 123R -Paragraph A240 -Subparagraph e(2)(d) falsefalse7false0natruenanaNo definition available.falsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsehttp://www.gilead.com/taxonomy/role/disclosurestockbasedcompensationscheduleofassumptionstocalculateestimatedfairvalueofawardsdetails1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse7falsefalsetruefalse{us-gaap_FairValueOffBalanceSheetRisksByFinancialInstrumentAxis} : Stock Options [Member] 1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010 Duration_1_1_2010_To_12_31_201023240http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000882095duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseStock Options [Member]us-gaap_FairValueOffBalanceSheetRisksByFinancialInstrumentAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_StockOptionMemberus-gaap_FairValueOffBalanceSheetRisksByFinancialInstrumentAxisexplicitMemberUnit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli08falsefalsetruefalse{us-gaap_FairValueOffBalanceSheetRisksByFinancialInstrumentAxis} : Stock Options [Member] 1/1/2009 - 12/31/2009 Duration_1_1_2009_To_12_31_200922227http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000882095duration2009-01-01T00:00:002009-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseStock Options [Member]us-gaap_FairValueOffBalanceSheetRisksByFinancialInstrumentAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_StockOptionMemberus-gaap_FairValueOffBalanceSheetRisksByFinancialInstrumentAxisexplicitMemberUnit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli09falsefalsetruefalse{us-gaap_FairValueOffBalanceSheetRisksByFinancialInstrumentAxis} : Stock Options [Member] 1/1/2008 - 12/31/2008 Duration_1_1_2008_To_12_31_20082263http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000882095duration2008-01-01T00:00:002008-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseStock Options [Member]us-gaap_FairValueOffBalanceSheetRisksByFinancialInstrumentAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_StockOptionMemberus-gaap_FairValueOffBalanceSheetRisksByFinancialInstrumentAxisexplicitMemberUnit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0OthernaNo definition available.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse8false0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRateus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truetruefalse0.310.31falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.350.35falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.340.34falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe estimated measure of the percentage amount by which a share price is expected to fluctuate during a period. Volatility also may be defined as a probability-weighted measure of the dispersion of returns about the mean. The volatility of a share price is the standard deviation of the continuously compounded rates of return on the share over a specified period. That is the same as the standard deviation of the differences in the natural logarithms of the stock prices plus dividends, if any, over the period.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 123R -Paragraph A240 -Subparagraph e(2)(b) falsefalse9false0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedTermus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse5.45.4falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse5.35.3falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse5.35.3falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:decimalItemTypedecimalThe period of time a share-based award is expected to be outstanding. A share-based award's expected term shall be determined based on, among other factors, the instrument's contractual term and the effects of employees' expected exercise and post-vesting employment termination behavior. An entity is required to aggregate individual awards into relatively homogeneous groups.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 123R -Paragraph A240 -Subparagraph e(2)(a) Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 14 -Section D -Subsection 2 falsefalse10false0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRateus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truetruefalse0.0230.023falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.0210.021falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.0280.028falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe risk-free interest rate assumption that is used in valuing an option on its own shares.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 123R -Paragraph A240 -Subparagraph e(2)(d) falsefalse39Stock-Based Compensation (Schedule of Assumptions to Calculate the Estimated Fair Value of the Awards) (Details)UnKnownUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruetrue