|**Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets - Finite-lived and Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets (Detail) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | Mar. 31, 2013                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | Dec. 31, 2012                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|**Finite Lived and Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Gross Carrying Amount                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | $ 76,268                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | (40,483)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | [1]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|Finite-lived Intangible Assets, less Accumulated Amortization                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 35,785                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Total indefinite-lived intangible assets                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 8,324                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Intangible assets, gross carrying amount                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 84,592                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | [1]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|Identifiable Intangible Assets, less Accumulated Amortization                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 44,109                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | [1]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
|Developed Technology Rights [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|**Finite Lived and Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Gross Carrying Amount                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 73,310                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | (38,857)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Finite-lived Intangible Assets, less Accumulated Amortization                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 34,453                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Brands [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|**Finite Lived and Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Gross Carrying Amount                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 1,880                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | (809)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Finite-lived Intangible Assets, less Accumulated Amortization                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 1,071                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|License Agreements [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|**Finite Lived and Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Gross Carrying Amount                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 1,078                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Accumulated Amortization                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | (817)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Finite-lived Intangible Assets, less Accumulated Amortization                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | 261                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Indefinite Lived Brands [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|**Finite Lived and Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Brands                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 7,571                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|In Process Research And Development [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|**Finite Lived and Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|In-process research and development                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 681                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Trademarks [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|**Finite Lived and Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Trademarks                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | $ 72                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Zoetis [Member] | Developed Technology Rights [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|**Finite Lived and Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Percentage of finite-lived intangible asset amortized cost by segment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 1.00%                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Zoetis [Member] | Brands [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|**Finite Lived and Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Percentage of finite-lived intangible asset amortized cost by segment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 12.00%                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Zoetis [Member] | Indefinite Lived Brands [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|**Finite Lived and Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Percentage of finite-lived intangible asset amortized cost by segment                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 1.00%                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|[1]
              The decrease is primarily related to amortization, an asset impairment charge and the transfer of certain product rights to our equity-method investment in China. For additional information about the asset impairment charge, see Note 4. Other Deductions—Net. For additional information about the transfer of certain product rights, see Note 2D. Acquisitions, Divestitures, Collaborative Arrangement and Equity-Method Investment: Equity-Method Investment. | [1]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | The decrease is primarily related to amortization, an asset impairment charge and the transfer of certain product rights to our equity-method investment in China. For additional information about the asset impairment charge, see Note 4. Other Deductions—Net. For additional information about the transfer of certain product rights, see Note 2D. Acquisitions, Divestitures, Collaborative Arrangement and Equity-Method Investment: Equity-Method Investment.
|[1]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | The decrease is primarily related to amortization, an asset impairment charge and the transfer of certain product rights to our equity-method investment in China. For additional information about the asset impairment charge, see Note 4. Other Deductions—Net. For additional information about the transfer of certain product rights, see Note 2D. Acquisitions, Divestitures, Collaborative Arrangement and Equity-Method Investment: Equity-Method Investment.

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