|**Pension and Postretirement Benefit Plans and Defined Contribution Plans - Narrative (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
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|**Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Defined contribution plan, cost recognized                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Hospira [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|**Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Benefit obligation                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | $ 115                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
|U.S. Qualified Pension Plans [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|**Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Benefit obligation                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | [1],[2]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|U.S. Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Hospira [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|**Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             
|Increase in benefit obligation from plan termination                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | $ 122                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
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|[1]
For the U.S. and international pension plans, the benefit obligation is the projected benefit obligation (PBO). For the postretirement plans, the benefit obligation is the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation (ABO). The ABO for all of our U.S. qualified pension plans was $14.8 billion in 2015 and $16.3 billion in 2014. The ABO for our U.S. supplemental (non-qualified) pension plans was $1.3 billion in 2015 and $1.4 billion in 2014. The ABO for our international pension plans was $8.8 billion in 2015 and $10.3 billion in 2014.[2]
The favorable change in the funded status of our U.S. qualified plans was primarily due to (i) the plan gains resulting from the increase in the discount rate, and (ii) a $1 billion voluntary contribution to the plans, partially offset by (i) the net impact of the acquisition of Hospira and (ii) a decrease in the actual return on assets. | [1]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | For the U.S. and international pension plans, the benefit obligation is the projected benefit obligation (PBO). For the postretirement plans, the benefit obligation is the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation (ABO). The ABO for all of our U.S. qualified pension plans was $14.8 billion in 2015 and $16.3 billion in 2014. The ABO for our U.S. supplemental (non-qualified) pension plans was $1.3 billion in 2015 and $1.4 billion in 2014. The ABO for our international pension plans was $8.8 billion in 2015 and $10.3 billion in 2014.
|[1]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | For the U.S. and international pension plans, the benefit obligation is the projected benefit obligation (PBO). For the postretirement plans, the benefit obligation is the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation (ABO). The ABO for all of our U.S. qualified pension plans was $14.8 billion in 2015 and $16.3 billion in 2014. The ABO for our U.S. supplemental (non-qualified) pension plans was $1.3 billion in 2015 and $1.4 billion in 2014. The ABO for our international pension plans was $8.8 billion in 2015 and $10.3 billion in 2014.
|[2]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | The favorable change in the funded status of our U.S. qualified plans was primarily due to (i) the plan gains resulting from the increase in the discount rate, and (ii) a $1 billion voluntary contribution to the plans, partially offset by (i) the net impact of the acquisition of Hospira and (ii) a decrease in the actual return on assets.                                                                                                                                                                                                         

X- DefinitionDefined Benefit Plan, Plan Termination, Benefit Obligation
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