Accounts Receivable, Net, Current Accounts receivable, net of allowance of none for 2011 and 2010 Amortization of discount or premium on investments Accretion (Amortization) of Discounts and Premiums, Investments Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax Accumulated other comprehensive loss Additional Paid in Capital, Common Stock Additional paid-in capital Amortization of Financing Costs and Discounts Amortization of debt discount and debt issue costs Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments Gains/losses on trading securities Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Receivable, Current Accounts receivable, allowance (in dollars) Earnings Per Share, Basic Net income per basic common share (in dollars per share) Capital Lease Obligations, Noncurrent Cash and Cash Equivalents, at Carrying Value Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period Cash and cash equivalents, end of period Cash and cash equivalents Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross Acquisition of Tyvaso Inhalation System business Interest Paid, Net Cash paid for interest Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Receivable Accounts receivable Increase (Decrease) in Inventories Inventories Increase (Decrease) in Prepaid Expense Prepaid expenses Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Payable Accounts payable Increase (Decrease) in Accrued Liabilities Accrued expenses Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block] Commitments and Contingencies Common Stock, Shares Authorized Common stock, shares authorized Common Stock, Shares, Issued Common stock, shares issued Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding Common stock, shares outstanding Common Stock, Value, Issued Common stock, par value $.01, 245,000,000 shares authorized, 60,817,983 and 60,017,546 shares issued, and 58,314,326 and 57,555,893 shares outstanding at June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively Comprehensive Income (Loss) Note [Text Block] Comprehensive Income Convertible Notes Payable, Current Convertible notes Convertible Notes Payable, Noncurrent Convertible senior notes Cost of Goods Sold Cost of product sales Cost of revenues Cost of Services Cost of service sales Liabilities, Current Total current liabilities Debt Disclosure [Text Block] Debt Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit) Deferred tax expense Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current Deferred tax assets Deferred Tax Assets (Liabilities), Net, Current Deferred tax assets Deferred Tax Assets (Liabilities), Net, Noncurrent Deferred tax assets Derivative Assets, Noncurrent Earnings Per Share, Diluted Net income per diluted common share (in dollars per share) Investment in Northern Therapeutics, Inc. Equity Method Investments Disclosure [Text Block] Consolidation, Policy [Text Block] Basis of Presentation Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments Equity loss in affiliate Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash and Cash Equivalents Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents Share-based Compensation Share-based compensation Payments of transaction costs related to the mortgage financing Payments of Financing Costs Gain (Loss) on Investments Gains/losses on trading securities Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block] Income Taxes Income Taxes Paid, Net Cash paid for income taxes Increase (Decrease) in Other Operating Assets Other assets Increase (Decrease) in Restricted Cash Restrictions on cash Interest Expense Interest expense Total interest expense Inventory, Net Inventories, net Total inventories Investments in Debt and Marketable Equity Securities (and Certain Trading Assets) Disclosure [Text Block] Marketable Investments Capital Leases in Financial Statements of Lessee Disclosure [Text Block] Liabilities Total liabilities Liabilities and Equity Total liabilities and stockholders' equity Held-to-maturity Securities, Current Marketable investments Current marketable securities Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities Net cash provided by financing activities Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities Net cash provided by operating activities Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract] Cash flows from operating activities: Cash and Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease) Net increase in cash and cash equivalents Description of New Accounting Pronouncements Not yet Adopted [Text Block] Recently Issued Accounting Standards Nonoperating Income (Expense) Total other (expense) income, net Convertible notes Notes Payable, Current Mortgage payable-noncurrent Notes Payable, Noncurrent Operating Income (Loss) Operating income Revenues Total revenues Basis Of Presentation. Basis of Presentation Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Available-for-sale Securities Adjustment, Net of Tax Unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Net Unamortized (Gain) Loss Arising During Period, Net of Tax Unrecognized actuarial pension gain (loss), net of tax Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Transaction and Translation Adjustment, Net of Tax Foreign currency translation adjustments Total other comprehensive income (loss) Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax Other Assets, Current Other current assets Other Nonoperating Income (Expense) Other, net Other Noncash Income Equity loss in affiliate and other Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block] Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan Preferred Stock, Shares Authorized Preferred stock, shares authorized Preferred Stock, Shares Issued Preferred stock, shares issued Preferred Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share) Prepaid Expense, Current Prepaid expenses Proceeds from the sale of treasury stock Proceeds from Sale of Treasury Stock Proceeds from Maturities, Prepayments and Calls of Available-for-sale Securities Proceeds from Maturities, Prepayments and Calls of Held-to-maturity Securities Maturities of held-to-maturity investments Proceeds from Sale of Available-for-sale Securities Sales of available-for-sale investments Proceeds received from mortgage financing Proceeds from Issuance of Secured Debt Proceeds from Stock Options Exercised Proceeds from the exercise of stock options Property, Plant and Equipment, Net Property, plant and equipment, net Payments to Acquire Available-for-sale Securities Purchases of available-for-sale investments Payments to Acquire Held-to-maturity Securities Purchases of held-to-maturity investments Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment Purchases of property, plant and equipment Related Party Transaction Related Party Transactions Disclosure [Text Block] Repayments of Long-term Capital Lease Obligations Payment of lease obligation Repayments of Other Debt Principal payments on debt Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit) Retained earnings Licenses Revenue License fees Sales Revenue, Goods, Net Net product sales Revenues Sales Revenue, Services, Net Service sales Inventory Disclosure [Text Block] Inventories Schedule of Business Acquisitions, by Acquisition [Text Block] Schedule II-Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Schedule of Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Disclosure [Text Block] Segment Reporting Disclosure [Text Block] Segment Information Selling, General and Administrative Expense Selling, general and administrative Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Text Block] Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities Excess tax benefits from share-based compensation Assets, Current Total current assets Treasury Stock Stock Issued During Period, Value, Treasury Stock Reissued Issuance of treasury stock Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted Diluted (in shares) Weighted average shares-diluted (in shares) Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic Basic (in shares) Weighted average outstanding shares-basic (in shares) Common Stock Research and Development Expense Research and development Preferred stock Assets Total assets License Agreements Intangible Assets Disclosure [Text Block] Investment Income, Interest Interest income Other Liabilities, Current Other current liabilities Other Liabilities, Noncurrent Other liabilities Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent Deferred tax assets Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Text Block] Share Tracking Awards Plans Scenario, Unspecified [Domain] Statement [Table] Statement, Scenario [Axis] Statement Statement [Line Items] Capital Lease Obligations Incurred Fair Value Disclosures [Text Block] Fair Value Measurements Temporary Equity, Redemption Value Common stock subject to repurchase Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) Quarterly Financial Information [Text Block] Class of Stock [Domain] Treasury Stock, Value Treasury stock at cost, 2,503,657 and 2,461,653 shares at June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010, respectively Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward] Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity Stockholders' Equity, Period Increase (Decrease) Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Operating Activities Excess tax benefits from share-based compensation Other Assets, Noncurrent Other assets Increase (Decrease) in Other Operating Liabilities Other liabilities Class of Stock [Axis] Common Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)