XML 63 R52.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.7.0.1

Contingencies - Januvia/Janumet Litigation - Narrative (Details) - Januvia - legalmatter	1 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2017
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, pending claims, number (in legal matters)		1,215
Loss contingency, claims dismissed, number (in legal matters)	1,175
Cases Company Agreed ToToll Statute Of Limitations
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, pending claims, number (in legal matters)		50
Other state courts
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, pending claims, number (in legal matters)		8
Other state courts | Illinois state court
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, pending claims, number (in legal matters)		4
Loss contingency, cases scheduled for trial (in legal matters)		3

X

- Definition

Loss contingency, cases scheduled for trial

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mrk_Losscontingencycasesscheduledfortrial
Namespace Prefix:	mrk_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Number of claims dismissed.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyClaimsDismissedNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Number of pending claims pertaining to a loss contingency.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82911808&loc=d3e14435-108349

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyPendingClaimsNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=mrk_JanuviaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=mrk_CasesCompanyAgreedToTollStatuteOfLimitationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=mrk_OtherStateCourtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=stpr_IL
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: