| **Financial Instruments - Long-Term Debt - Footnotes (Detail)**                                                                                                  | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
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| Senior Unsecured Debt, 2.10%, Due 2019 [Member]                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| **Debt Instrument [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| Debt redemption price, basis spread percentage                                                                                                                   | 0.07%pfe_DebtInstrumentRedemptionRuleRedemptionPricePercentageBasisSpread/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis= pfe_SeniorUnsecuredDebtTwoPointOnePercentDue2019Member                                                                                                   |
| Senior Unsecured Debt, 5.95%, Due 2037 [Member]                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| **Debt Instrument [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| Debt redemption price, basis spread percentage                                                                                                                   | 0.25%pfe_DebtInstrumentRedemptionRuleRedemptionPricePercentageBasisSpread/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis= pfe_SeniorUnsecuredDebtFivePointNineFivePercentDue2037Member                                                                                             |
| Unsecured Debt [Member]                                                                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| **Debt Instrument [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| Debt redemption price, percentage                                                                                                                                | 100.00%pfe_DebtInstrumentRedemptionRuleRedemptionPricePercentage/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis= us-gaap_UnsecuredDebtMember                                                                                                                                     |
| Unsecured Debt [Member] | Senior Unsecured Debt, 2.10%, Due 2019 [Member]                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| **Debt Instrument [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| Interest rate, percentage                                                                                                                                        | 2.10%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis= pfe_SeniorUnsecuredDebtTwoPointOnePercentDue2019Member/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis= us-gaap_UnsecuredDebtMember                                                          |
| Unsecured Debt [Member] | Senior Unsecured Debt, 5.95%, Due 2037 [Member]                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| **Debt Instrument [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| Interest rate, percentage                                                                                                                                        | 5.95%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis= pfe_SeniorUnsecuredDebtFivePointNineFivePercentDue2037Member/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis= us-gaap_UnsecuredDebtMember                                                    |
| Unsecured Debt [Member] | Notes Payable And Other Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate 5.11% Percent, Various Maturity Dates [Member]                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| **Debt Instrument [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| Interest rate, percentage                                                                                                                                        | 5.11%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis= pfe_NotesPayableAndOtherDebtWeightedAverageInterestRateDue2021to2044Member/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis= us-gaap_UnsecuredDebtMember                                      |
| Debt redemption price, basis spread percentage                                                                                                                   | 0.22%pfe_DebtInstrumentRedemptionRuleRedemptionPricePercentageBasisSpread/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis= pfe_NotesPayableAndOtherDebtWeightedAverageInterestRateDue2021to2044Member/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis= us-gaap_UnsecuredDebtMember                    |
| Long term debt weighted average maturity                                                                                                                         | 22 years                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| Unsecured Debt [Member] | Notes Payable And Other Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate 3.19%, Various Maturity Dates [Member]                                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| **Debt Instrument [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| Interest rate, percentage                                                                                                                                        | 3.19%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis= pfe_NotesPayableAndOtherDebtWeightedAverageInterestRateDue20172018Member/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis= us-gaap_UnsecuredDebtMember                                        |
| Debt redemption price, basis spread percentage                                                                                                                   | 0.14%pfe_DebtInstrumentRedemptionRuleRedemptionPricePercentageBasisSpread/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis= pfe_NotesPayableAndOtherDebtWeightedAverageInterestRateDue20172018Member/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis= us-gaap_UnsecuredDebtMember                      |
| Long term debt weighted average maturity                                                                                                                         | 3 years                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| Unsecured Debt [Member] | Foreign Currency Notes Payable And Other Foreign Currency Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate, 2.84%, Various Maturity Dates [Member] |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| **Debt Instrument [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| Interest rate, percentage                                                                                                                                        | 2.84%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis= pfe_ForeignCurrencyNotesPayableAndOtherForeignCurrencyDebtWeightedAverageInterestRateVariousMaturityDatesMember/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis= us-gaap_UnsecuredDebtMember |
| Long term debt weighted average maturity                                                                                                                         | 1 year                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| Unsecured Debt [Member] | US Treasury Rate [Member]                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| **Debt Instrument [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| Debt redemption price, basis spread percentage                                                                                                                   | 0.50%pfe_DebtInstrumentRedemptionRuleRedemptionPricePercentageBasisSpread/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis= us-gaap_UnsecuredDebtMember/ us-gaap_VariableRateAxis= pfe_USTreasuryRateMember                                                                        |
| Unsecured Debt [Member] | Government Bond Rate [Member]                                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| **Debt Instrument [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| Debt redemption price, basis spread percentage                                                                                                                   | 0.20%pfe_DebtInstrumentRedemptionRuleRedemptionPricePercentageBasisSpread/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis= us-gaap_UnsecuredDebtMember/ us-gaap_VariableRateAxis= pfe_GovernmentBondRateMember                                                                    |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
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| - Definition
Debt Instrument, Redemption Rule, Redemption Price, Percentage
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pfe_DebtInstrumentRedemptionRuleRedemptionPricePercentage**Namespace Prefix:**pfe_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Debt Instrument, Redemption Rule, Redemption Price, Percentage, Basis Spread
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pfe_DebtInstrumentRedemptionRuleRedemptionPricePercentageBasisSpread**Namespace Prefix:**pfe_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Debt Instrument, Weighted Average Maturity
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**pfe_DebtInstrumentWeightedAverageMaturity**Namespace Prefix:**pfe_**Data Type:**xbrli:durationItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 22 -Article 5Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**num:percentItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                           |
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| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                               |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=pfe_SeniorUnsecuredDebtFivePointNineFivePercentDue2037Member**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                                         |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=pfe_SeniorUnsecuredDebtTwoPointOnePercentDue2019Member**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |
| X                                                                                                                                                |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_UnsecuredDebtMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |