Accounting for Debt Financing Costs, Policy [Text Block] Accounting for Debt Financing Costs, Policy [Text Block] Deferred Loan Costs Accounts payable Value-added tax liabilities Accrued Co Promotion Liability, Current ACTONEL co-promotion liability Accrued Liabilities And Other Current Liabilities Disclosure. Accrued Liabilities And Other Current Liabilities Disclosure [Text Block] Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities Accrued Income Taxes, Current Income taxes Accrued Liabilities, Current Total Accrued expenses and other current liabilities Advertising and promotion Professional fees Accrued Research and Development Expense, Current Research and development expense accruals Accrued Withholding Tax Withholding taxes Actuarial gains related to defined benefit plans (net of tax) Actuarial gains related to defined benefit plans (net of tax) Cumulative translation adjustment Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) Total Description of a business combination or material asset acquisition (or series of individually immaterial business combinations) completed during the period, including background, timing, and recognized assets and liabilities. This element may be used as a single block of text to encapsulate the entire disclosure (including data and tables) regarding business combinations and material assets acquired, including leverage buyout transactions (as applicable). Acquisitions ACTONEL and ATELVIA [Member] ACTONEL and ATELVIA ACTONEL Intellectual Property [Member] ACTONEL Intellectual Property ACTONEL [Member] ACTONEL ACTONEL Product Liability Litigation [Member] ACTONEL Product Liability Litigation ACTONEL Product Liability Litigation, Sanofi [Member] ACTONEL Product Liability Litigation, Sanofi Additional paid-in capital Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Amendment Flag Amortization of debt finance costs Amortization of deferred loan costs Amortization of intangible assets Amounts not included in calculation of diluted EPS Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, by Antidilutive Securities [Axis] Antidilutive Securities, Name [Domain] ASACOL Intellectual Property [Member] ASACOL Intellectual Property ASACOL [Member] ASACOL Total assets Total assets ASSETS Total current assets Total current assets Current assets: Other assets: ATELVIA Intellectual Property [Member] ATELVIA Intellectual Property ATELVIA [Member] ATELVIA Bayer [Member] Bayer Business Acquisition, Acquiree [Domain] Business Acquisition [Axis] Future milestone payments Total purchase price Business Acquisition [Line Items] Total purchase price allocated to estimated fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed A portion of the receivable acquired while purchasing a business, which is due from the former owner of the acquired business. Net receivable Canada Cambrex Corporation [Member] Cambrex Corporation Cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents, end of period Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period Net (decrease) / increase in cash and cash equivalents Net (decrease) / increase in cash and cash equivalents SCHEDULE OF NON-CASH ACTIVITIES Cash Paid For Extinguishment Of Debt Cash on hand used to repay aggregate term loans outstanding Claims Tendered To Third Party Number of claims tendered to Bristol Myers Sanofi Collaboration Agreement Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Axis] Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Domain] Collaborative Arrangements, Co-promotion Agreement, Agreement Commitments and contingencies Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items] Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items] Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Table] Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Table] Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block] Commitments and Contingencies Special cash dividend to shareholders per share Dividends per share Dividends per share: Ordinary shares, par value Ordinary shares, shares authorized Ordinary shares, shares issued Ordinary shares, shares outstanding Ordinary shares, par value $0.01 per share; 500,000,000 shares authorized; 254,109,027 and 252,527,004 shares issued and outstanding Retirement Plans Other comprehensive income Comprehensive Income Concentration Risk by Type [Axis] Reliance on Significant Suppliers Concentration Risk [Line Items] Percentage of concentration risk Concentration Risk [Table] Concentration Risk Type [Domain] Eliminations Contract manufacturing product sales [Member] Contract manufacturing product sales Contract Termination Contractual Obligations, Current Contractual obligations Expense of contractual profit sharing with the Company's collaboration partner Co-promotion expense Cost of Sales Cost of sales (excludes amortization of intangible assets) COSTS, EXPENSES AND OTHER Costs Associated with Exit or Disposal Activities or Restructurings, Policy [Policy Text Block] Restructuring Costs Current Fiscal Year End Date Damages Sought Loss Contingency Damages sought Debt Disclosure [Line Items] Debt Disclosure [Line Items] Debt Disclosure [Table] Debt Disclosure [Table] Indebtedness Debt Instrument [Axis] Additional interest to LIBOR floor Total long-term debt Total long-term debt Restrictive covenants description Aggregate principal amount of senior notes issued Interest rate Maturity date Debt Instrument, Name [Domain] Interest on borrowings 7.75% Notes unamortized premium 7.75% Notes, unamortized premium Aggregate principal amount of senior notes issued, premium Deferred Finance Costs, Noncurrent, Net Deferred loan costs Deferred gains from sale of inventories to LEO Defined Benefit Plan, Amortization [Abstract] Amortization of: Actuarial losses Prior service costs Company contribution to non-U.S. retirement plans Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] Expected return on plan assets Expected return on plan assets Impact on retirement plan as a result of operational restructuring. Restructuring impact on pension plans Restructuring impact on pension plans Interest cost Net periodic benefit cost Net periodic benefit cost Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Disclosures [Axis] Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans [Domain] Service cost Depreciation Depreciation expense Disclosure - Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities [Abstract] Disclosure - Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities [Abstract] Disclosure - Acquisitions - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Acquisitions - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Additional Segment Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Additional Segment Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Basic and Diluted Calculation of Earnings Per Share [Abstract] Disclosure - Basic and Diluted Calculation of Earnings Per Share [Abstract] Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Company's Segment Operating Profit and Reconciliation to Consolidated Income Before Taxes [Abstract] Disclosure - Company's Segment Operating Profit and Reconciliation to Consolidated Income Before Taxes [Abstract] Disclosure - Components of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income / (Loss) [Abstract] Disclosure - Components of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income / (Loss) [Abstract] Disclosure - Components of Intangible assets [Abstract] Disclosure - Components of Intangible assets [Abstract] Disclosure - Comprehensive Income - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Comprehensive Income - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Estimated Amortization Expense Based on Current Forecasts Excluding Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets [Abstract] Disclosure - Estimated Amortization Expense Based on Current Forecasts Excluding Indefinite Lived Intangible Assets [Abstract] Disclosure - Fair Value of Options Assumptions Using Black-Scholes Valuation Model [Abstract] Disclosure - Fair Value of Options Assumptions Using Black-Scholes Valuation Model [Abstract] Disclosure - Goodwill and Intangible Assets - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Goodwill and Intangible Assets - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Income Taxes - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Income Taxes - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Indebtedness - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Indebtedness - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Intrinsic Value for Non-Qualified Options to Purchase Ordinary Shares that are in the Money [Abstract] Disclosure - Intrinsic Value for Non-Qualified Options to Purchase Ordinary Shares that are in the Money [Abstract] Disclosure - Inventories [Abstract] Disclosure - Inventories [Abstract] Disclosure - Inventories - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Inventories - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Legal Proceedings - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Legal Proceedings - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - LEO Transaction - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - LEO Transaction - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Mandatory Principal Repayments of Long-Term Debt for the Remainder of 2011 and Each of the Five Years Ending December 31, 2012 Through 2016 and Thereafter [Abstract] Disclosure - Mandatory Principal Repayments of Long-Term Debt for the Remainder of 2011 and Each of the Five Years Ending December 31, 2012 Through 2016 and Thereafter [Abstract] Disclosure - Net Periodic Benefit Cost of Non-U.S. Defined Benefit Plans [Abstract] Disclosure - Net Periodic Benefit Cost of Non-U.S. Defined Benefit Plans [Abstract] Stock-Based Compensation Plans Disclosure - Outstanding Debt [Abstract] Disclosure - Outstanding Debt [Abstract] Disclosure - Recognized Net Sales, Other Revenue and Co-promotion Expenses [Abstract] Disclosure - Recognized Net Sales, Other Revenue and Co-promotion Expenses [Abstract] Disclosure - Retirement Plans - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Retirement Plans - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Revenue Generated from Products by Significant Supplier as a Percentage of Total Revenues [Abstract] Disclosure - Revenue Generated from Products by Significant Supplier as a Percentage of Total Revenues [Abstract] Disclosure - Stock-Based Compensation Plans - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Stock-Based Compensation Plans - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Strategic Initiatives - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Strategic Initiatives - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Summary of Activity in Severance Accruals [Abstract] Disclosure - Summary of Activity in Severance Accruals [Abstract] Disclosure - Summary of Equity Award Activity for Non-Qualified Options to Purchase Ordinary Shares [Abstract] Disclosure - Summary of Equity Award Activity for Non-Qualified Options to Purchase Ordinary Shares [Abstract] Disclosure - Summary of Equity Award Activity for Unvested Restricted Ordinary Shares [Abstract] Disclosure - Summary of Equity Award Activity for Unvested Restricted Ordinary Shares [Abstract] Disclosure - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information [Abstract] Disclosure - Total Revenue by Significant Country of Domicile [Abstract] Disclosure - Total Revenue by Significant Country of Domicile [Abstract] Disclosure - Total Revenues by Product [Abstract] Disclosure - Total Revenues by Product [Abstract] Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations, Disclosure [Text Block] LEO Transaction Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations, Name [Domain] Dividends and distributions declared but not paid Increase in liabilities related to the Special Dividend Special Dividend Document - Document and Entity Information [Abstract] Document - Document and Entity Information [Abstract] Document Fiscal Period Focus Document Fiscal Year Focus Document Period End Date Document Type DORYX 100 and 75 [Member] DORYX 100 and 75 DORYX Intellectual Property [Member] DORYX Intellectual Property DORYX [Member] DORYX DOVONEX [Member] DOVONEX Earnings per ordinary share: Earnings per share: Basic Diluted Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items] Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Line Items] Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Table] Earnings Per Share Disclosure [Table] Earnings Per Share Effective tax rate Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents Payroll, commissions, and employee costs Unrecognized stock-based compensation expense Unrecognized stock-based compensation expense, expected weighted-average period of recognition (in years) ENABLEX Intellectual Property [Member] ENABLEX Intellectual Property ENABLEX [Member] ENABLEX Entity Central Index Key Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding Entity [Domain] Entity Filer Category Entity Registrant Name Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] ESTRACE CREAM Intellectual Property [Member] ESTRACE CREAM Intellectual Property ESTRACE Cream [Member] ESTRACE Cream ESTRACE [Member] ESTRACE Expected Amortization Expense [Line Items] Expected Amortization Expense [Line Items] Expected Amortization Expense [Table] Expected Amortization Expense [Table] False Claims Act Litigation [Member] False Claims Act Litigation FEMHRT Intellectual Property [Member] FEMHRT Intellectual Property FEMHRT [Member] FEMHRT Accumulated Amortization Finite-Lived Intangible Assets by Major Class [Axis] Total Total Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross Gross Carrying Value Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Major Class Name [Domain] Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net Net Carrying Value Definite-lived intangible assets, useful lives Non-U.S. Defined Benefit Plans Non-U.S. Retirement Plans