2.2.0.25truefalse40201 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements (Narrative) (Details)truefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2011 - 3/31/2011
USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
$Duration_1_1_2011_To_3_31_2011http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000882095duration2011-01-01T00:00:002011-03-31T00:00:00Unit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit14Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit15Standardhttp://www.gilead.com/2011-03-31yearsgild0USDUSD$2falsefalseUSDfalsefalse12/31/2010
USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
$As_Of_12_31_2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000882095instant2010-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00Unit12Standardhttp://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_SeniorNotesus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse44973680004497368000falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse34775640003477564000falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryIncluding the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of Notes with the highest claim on the assets of the issuer in case of bankruptcy or liquidation (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer). Senior note holders are paid off in full before any payments are made to junior note holders.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 16
-Article 9
falsefalse3false0gild_WeightedAverageExpectedLifeOfUnderlyingStudentLoansMinimumgildfalsenadurationWeighted average expected life of underlying student loans, minimum.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse33falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:integerItemTypeintegerWeighted average expected life of underlying student loans, minimum.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse4false0gild_WeightedAverageExpectedLifeOfUnderlyingStudentLoansMaximumgildfalsenadurationWeighted average expected life of underlying student loans, maximum.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse77falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:integerItemTypeintegerWeighted average expected life of underlying student loans, maximum.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse5false0gild_AnnualDiscountRateUsedInDiscountedCashFlowModelgildfalsenainstantAnnual Discount Rate Used In Discounted Cash Flow Modelfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truetruefalse0.02090.0209falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureAnnual Discount Rate Used In Discounted Cash Flow ModelNo authoritative reference available.falsefalse6false0gild_AuctionRateSecuritiesResetNumberOfYearsLowerRangegildfalsenadurationThe lower range of the days that Auction rate securities resetfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse77falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:integerItemTypeintegerThe lower range of the days that Auction rate securities resetNo authoritative reference available.falsefalse7false0gild_AuctionRateSecuritiesResetNumberOfYearsHigherRangegildfalsenadurationThe higher range of the days that Auction rate securities resetfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse1414falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:integerItemTypeintegerThe higher range of the days that Auction rate securities resetNo authoritative reference available.falsefalse8false0gild_AuctionRateSecurityYearOfMaturityLowerRangegildfalsenadurationAuction rate security year of maturity, lower range.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse002025falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringAuction rate security year of maturity, lower range.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse9false0gild_AuctionRateSecurityYearOfMaturityHigherRangegildfalsenadurationAuction rate security year of maturity, higher range.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse002040falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringAuction rate security year of maturity, higher range.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse10false0gild_AuctionRateSecuritiesAnnualInterestRateLowerRangegildfalsenadurationThe lower limit of range for the annual interest rate of the auction rate securitiesfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truetruefalse0.00230.0023falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe lower limit of range for the annual interest rate of the auction rate securitiesNo authoritative reference available.falsefalse11false0gild_AuctionRateSecuritiesAnnualInterestRateHigherRangegildfalsenadurationThe upper limit of range for the annual interest rate of the auction rate securitiesfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truetruefalse0.01110.0111falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe upper limit of range for the annual interest rate of the auction rate securitiesNo authoritative reference available.falsefalse12false0natruenanaNo definition available.falsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsehttp://www.gilead.com/taxonomy/role/disclosurefairvaluemeasurementsnarrativedetails1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis} : Convertible Notes [Member]
3/31/2011
USD ($)
$As_Of_3_31_2011_us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis_us-gaap_ConvertibleNotesPayableMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000882095instant2011-03-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseConvertible Notes [Member]us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_ConvertibleNotesPayableMemberus-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxisexplicitMemberUnit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$4falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis} : Convertible Notes [Member]
12/31/2010
USD ($)
$As_Of_12_31_2010_us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxis_us-gaap_ConvertibleNotesPayableMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000882095instant2010-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseConvertible Notes [Member]us-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_ConvertibleNotesPayableMemberus-gaap_ShortTermDebtTypeAxisexplicitMemberUnit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$OthernaNo definition available.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse13false0us-gaap_ConvertibleNotesPayableus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse35100000003510000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse34800000003480000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryIncluding the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of a written promise to pay a note, initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer, which can be exchanged for a specified amount of one or more securities (typically common stock), at the option of the issuer or the holder.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 16
-Article 9
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 20, 22
-Article 5
falsefalse14false0gild_LongTermDebtFairValuegildfalsecreditinstantThe fair value amount of long-term debt whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse43600000004360000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse39700000003970000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe fair value amount of long-term debt whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse15false0natruenanaNo definition available.falsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsehttp://www.gilead.com/taxonomy/role/disclosurefairvaluemeasurementsnarrativedetails1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse5falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis} : 2021 Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]
3/31/2011
USD ($)
$As_Of_3_31_2011_us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis_gild_TwoThousandTwentyOneSeniorUnsecuredNotesMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000882095instant2011-03-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalse2021 Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldigild_TwoThousandTwentyOneSeniorUnsecuredNotesMemberus-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxisexplicitMemberUnit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0Unit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$OthernaNo definition available.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse16false0us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmountus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse10000000001000000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe stated principal amount of the debt instrument at time of issuance, which may vary from the carrying amount because of unamortized premium or discount.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)
-Number 21
-Paragraph 16, 20
falsefalse17false0us-gaap_SeniorNotesus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse991400000991400000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryIncluding the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of Notes with the highest claim on the assets of the issuer in case of bankruptcy or liquidation (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer). Senior note holders are paid off in full before any payments are made to junior note holders.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 16
-Article 9
falsefalse18false0gild_LongTermDebtFairValuegildfalsecreditinstantThe fair value amount of long-term debt whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse988000000988000000falsetruefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe fair value amount of long-term debt whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse217Fair Value Measurements (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)NoRoundingUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruetrue