|**Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Tables)**               | 3 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
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|**Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]**        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Schedule of Goodwill                                            | The following table provides the components of and changes in the carrying amount ofGoodwill:(MILLIONS OF DOLLARS)PrimaryCareSpecialtyCare andOncologyEstablishedProducts andEmergingMarketsOther Operating Segments(a)TotalBalance, December 31, 2012$6,152$16,885$18,603$3,032$44,672Derecognition(b)——(272)—(272)Other(c)(97)(266)(288)3(648)Balance, March 31, 2013$6,055$16,619$18,043$3,035$43,752(a)Reflects amounts associated with Animal Health (Zoetis) and Consumer Healthcare.(b)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, seeNote 2D. Acquisitions, Divestitures, Collaborative Arrangement and Equity-Method Investment: Equity-Method Investment.(c)Primarily reflects the impact of foreign exchange.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
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|(MILLIONS OF DOLLARS)                                           |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Balance, December 31, 2012                                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Derecognition(b)                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Other(c)                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Balance, March 31, 2013                                         |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
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|(a)                                                             | Reflects amounts associated with Animal Health (Zoetis) and Consumer Healthcare.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
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|(b)                                                             | 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, seeNote 2D. Acquisitions, Divestitures, Collaborative Arrangement and Equity-Method Investment: Equity-Method Investment.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
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|(c)                                                             | Primarily reflects the impact of foreign exchange.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|Schedule of Finite Lived And Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets | The following table provides the components ofIdentifiable intangible assets:March 31, 2013December 31, 2012(MILLIONS OF DOLLARS)GrossCarryingAmountAccumulatedAmortizationIdentifiableIntangibleAssets, lessAccumulatedAmortizationGrossCarryingAmountAccumulatedAmortizationIdentifiableIntangibleAssets, lessAccumulatedAmortizationFinite-lived intangible assetsDeveloped technology rights$73,310$(38,857)$34,453$73,112$(37,069)$36,043Brands1,880(809)1,0711,873(781)1,092License agreements and other1,078(817)2611,085(793)29276,268(40,483)35,78576,070(38,643)37,427Indefinite-lived intangible assetsBrands7,571—7,5717,828—7,828In-process research and development681—681688—688Trademarks/tradenames72—7270—708,324—8,3248,586—8,586Identifiable intangible assets(a)$84,592$(40,483)$44,109$84,656$(38,643)$46,013(a)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, seeNote 4. Other Deductions—Net.For additional information about the transfer of certain product rights, seeNote 2D. Acquisitions, Divestitures, Collaborative Arrangement and Equity-Method Investment: Equity-Method Investment.
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|(MILLIONS OF DOLLARS)                                           |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Finite-lived intangible assets                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Developed technology rights                                     |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Brands                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|License agreements and other                                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
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|Indefinite-lived intangible assets                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Brands                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|In-process research and development                             |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Trademarks/tradenames                                           |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
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|Identifiable intangible assets(a)                               |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
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|(a)                                                             | 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, seeNote 4. Other Deductions—Net.For additional information about the transfer of certain product rights, seeNote 2D. Acquisitions, Divestitures, Collaborative Arrangement and Equity-Method Investment: Equity-Method Investment.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

X- DefinitionDisclosure of the details of finite-lived and indefinite-lived intangible assets, excluding goodwill, in total and by major class. A major class is composed of intangible assets that can be grouped together because they are similar, either by their nature or by their use in the operations of the company.+ ReferencesNo definition available.+ Details**Name:**
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                    duration X- DefinitionTabular disclosure of goodwill by reportable segment and in total which includes a rollforward schedule.+ ReferencesReference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 142 -Paragraph 45 -Subparagraph c -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.  This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 142 -Paragraph 47 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.  This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=14024403&loc=d3e13854-109267Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=14024403&loc=d3e13816-109267Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 142 -Paragraph 45 -Subparagraph e -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.  This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.+ Details**Name:**
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