|**Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Goodwill (Detail) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 9 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|**Goodwill [Roll Forward]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Balance, December 31, 2012                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | $ 43,661                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
|Derecognition(a)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | (292)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|Other(b)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | (969)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|Balance, September 29, 2013                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 42,400                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Primary Care [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|**Goodwill [Roll Forward]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Balance, December 31, 2012                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 6,152                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|Derecognition(a)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|Other(b)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | (140)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|Balance, September 29, 2013                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 6,012                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|Specialty Care And Oncology [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|**Goodwill [Roll Forward]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Balance, December 31, 2012                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 16,885                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Derecognition(a)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|Other(b)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | (390)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|Balance, September 29, 2013                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 16,495                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Established Products and Emerging Markets [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|**Goodwill [Roll Forward]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Balance, December 31, 2012                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 18,603                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Derecognition(a)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | (292)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|Other(b)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | (429)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|Balance, September 29, 2013                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | 17,882                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                
|Consumer Healthcare [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|**Goodwill [Roll Forward]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Balance, December 31, 2012                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 2,021                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
|Derecognition(a)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | 0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|Other(b)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | (10)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
|Balance, September 29, 2013                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  | $ 2,011                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|[1]
              Reflects the goodwill derecognized as part of the transfer of certain product rights, which constituted a business, to our equity-method investment in China. For additional information, see Note 2D. Acquisitions, Divestitures, Collaborative Arrangement and Equity-Method Investments: Equity-Method Investments.[2]
              Primarily reflects the impact of foreign exchange. | [1]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|[1]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | Reflects the goodwill derecognized as part of the transfer of certain product rights, which constituted a business, to our equity-method investment in China. For additional information, see Note 2D. Acquisitions, Divestitures, Collaborative Arrangement and Equity-Method Investments: Equity-Method Investments.
|[2]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | Primarily reflects the impact of foreign exchange.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

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