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Other (Income) Expense, Net - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | ---
Feb. 28, 2017 | Sep. 30, 2015 | Jun. 30, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
Component of Other Income / Expense of Nonoperating [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Foreign exchange losses related to Venezuela |  |  |  | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 876
Loss on extinguishment of debt |  |  |  | 191 |  |
Marketable Securities, Realized Gain (Loss) |  |  |  | 291 |  |
Litigation settlement | $ (80) |  |  | 0 | (625) | 0
Net charge related to the settlement of Vioxx shareholder class action litigation |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 680
Contribution expense |  |  |  |  |  | 78
Interest paid |  |  |  | 723 | 686 | 653
AstraZeneca LP |  |  |  |  |  |
Component of Other Income / Expense of Nonoperating [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Other income |  |  |  | $ 232 | 98 | 182
CGRP receptor antagonists |  |  |  |  |  |
Component of Other Income / Expense of Nonoperating [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (loss) on sale of clinical development programs |  |  |  |  | 100 | 250
ophthalmic products |  |  |  |  |  |
Component of Other Income / Expense of Nonoperating [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain on disposition of business |  |  |  |  |  | 147
Patent litigation |  |  |  |  |  |
Component of Other Income / Expense of Nonoperating [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Litigation settlement |  |  |  |  | $ 117 |
Vioxx Securities Lawsuits | Vioxx |  |  |  |  |  |
Component of Other Income / Expense of Nonoperating [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Net charge related to the settlement of Vioxx shareholder class action litigation |  |  |  |  |  | $ 680
Venezuela |  |  |  |  |  |
Component of Other Income / Expense of Nonoperating [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Foreign exchange losses related to Venezuela |  | $ 138 | $ 876 |  |  |

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- Definition Amount before tax of foreign currency transaction realized gain (loss) recognized in the income statement. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 830 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450222&loc=d3e30840-110895 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 830 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64836518&loc=d3e30690-110894 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 830 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64836518&loc=d3e30700-110894 + Details
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