|**Identifiable Intangible Assets and Goodwill - Goodwill (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|**Goodwill [Roll Forward]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|Beginning balance                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | [1]                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Ending balance                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | [1]                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Operating Segments [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|**Goodwill [Roll Forward]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|Beginning balance                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|Additions                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|Other                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | [4]                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Ending balance                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|Operating Segments [Member] | Global Innovative Pharmaceutical [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|**Goodwill [Roll Forward]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|Beginning balance                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|Additions                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|Other                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | [4]                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Ending balance                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|Operating Segments [Member] | Global Vaccines, Oncology and Consumer Healthcare [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|**Goodwill [Roll Forward]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|Beginning balance                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|Additions                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|Other                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | [4]                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Ending balance                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|Operating Segments [Member] | Global Established Pharmaceutical [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|**Goodwill [Roll Forward]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|Beginning balance                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|Additions                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|Other                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | [4]                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Ending balance                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|[1]
Amounts may not add due to rounding.[2]
GEP additions relate to our acquisition of Hospira and are subject to change until we complete the recording of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed from Hospira. For additional information, see Note 2A.[3]
Reflects the acquisition of InnoPharma. For additional information, see Note 2A.[4]
Primarily reflects the impact of foreign exchange. | [1]                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|[1]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | Amounts may not add due to rounding.                                                                                                                                                                              
|[2]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | GEP additions relate to our acquisition of Hospira and are subject to change until we complete the recording of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed from Hospira. For additional information, see Note 2A.
|[3]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | Reflects the acquisition of InnoPharma. For additional information, see Note 2A.                                                                                                                                  
|[4]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | Primarily reflects the impact of foreign exchange.                                                                                                                                                                

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