XML 91 R80.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.10.0.1

Taxes on Income - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2018 | Sep. 30, 2017 | Sep. 30, 2018 | Sep. 30, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2017
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Effective income tax rate (as percent) | 26.50% | 125.50% | 27.60% | 25.50% |
Aggregate charge related to termination of collaboration agreement with Samsung |  |  | $ 420 | $ 0 |
Materials and production | $ 3,619 | $ 3,307 | 10,220 | 9,472 |
Research and development | 2,068 | 4,413 | 7,538 | 8,024 |
Tax benefit related to settlement of state income tax issue |  |  |  | (88) |
Provisional transition tax liability |  |  |  |  | $ 5,300
Provisional net transition tax payment |  |  |  |  | 5,100
Provisional deferred tax benefit |  |  |  |  | 779
2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Deferred taxes |  |  |  |  | 2,000
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Net tax benefit related to settlement of certain federal income tax issues |  | 234 |  | 234 |
Income taxes paid |  | 2,800 |  | 2,800 |
Samsung |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Aggregate charge related to termination of collaboration agreement with Samsung | $ 420 |  | 420 |  |
Eisai |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Research and development |  |  | $ 1,400 |  |
AstraZeneca |  |  |  |  |
Income Tax Examination [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Research and development |  | $ 2,350 |  | $ 2,350 | $ 2,350

X
- Definition Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Incomplete Accounting, Change in Tax Rate, Provisional Income Tax Expense (Benefit) + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mrk_TaxCutsandJobsActIncompleteAccountingChangeinTaxRateProvisionalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Namespace Prefix: | mrk_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, Incomplete Accounting, Transition Tax for Accumulated Foreign Earnings, Provisional Income Tax Expense (Benefit) + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mrk_TaxCutsandJobsActof2017IncompleteAccountingTransitionTaxforAccumulatedForeignEarningsProvisionalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Namespace Prefix: | mrk_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, Incomplete Accounting, Transition Tax for Accumulated Foreign Earnings, Provisional Liability + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mrk_TaxCutsandJobsActof2017IncompleteAccountingTransitionTaxforAccumulatedForeignEarningsProvisionalLiability
Namespace Prefix: | mrk_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The aggregate costs related to goods produced and sold and services rendered by an entity during the reporting period. This excludes costs incurred during the reporting period related to financial services rendered and other revenue generating activities. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.2(a),(d)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115205541&loc=SL114868664-224227 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CostOfGoodsAndServicesSold
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences from undistributed earnings of subsidiaries and other recognized entities not within the country of domicile of the entity. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32621-109319 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32632-109319 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 20 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115928272&loc=d3e28680-109314 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesUndistributedForeignEarnings
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Percentage of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(2)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32687-109319 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=d3e32698-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Gain (loss) related to the termination of a contract between the parties. The termination may be due to many causes including early termination of a lease by a lessee, a breach of contract by one party, or a failure to perform. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109223946&loc=d3e3602-108585 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 420 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6394359&loc=d3e17939-110869 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GainLossOnContractTermination
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

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_IncomeTaxExaminationLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of cash paid during the current period to foreign, federal, state, and local authorities as taxes on income. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98513485&loc=d3e4297-108586 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 25 -Subparagraph (f) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109223946&loc=d3e3536-108585 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The aggregate costs incurred (1) in a planned search or critical investigation aimed at discovery of new knowledge with the hope that such knowledge will be useful in developing a new product or service, a new process or technique, or in bringing about a significant improvement to an existing product or process; or (2) to translate research findings or other knowledge into a plan or design for a new product or process or for a significant improvement to an existing product or process whether intended for sale or the entity's use, during the reporting period charged to research and development projects, including the costs of developing computer software up to the point in time of achieving technological feasibility, and costs allocated in accounting for a business combination to in-process projects deemed to have no alternative future use. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 985 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6501960&loc=d3e128462-111756 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 730 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6420194&loc=d3e21568-108373 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of increase (decrease) to previously recorded tax expense. Includes, but is not limited to, significant settlements of income tax disputes, and unusual tax positions or infrequent actions taken by the entity, including tax assessment reversal, and IRS tax settlement. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115928272&loc=d3e28511-109314 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115928272&loc=d3e28446-109314 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_TaxAdjustmentsSettlementsAndUnusualProvisions
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from settlements with taxing authorities. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15A -Subparagraph (a)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=SL6600010-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_TaxPeriodAxis=mrk_A2017TaxCutsandJobsActTCJAMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis=us-gaap_InternalRevenueServiceIRSMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_CounterpartyNameAxis=mrk_SamsungMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_CounterpartyNameAxis=mrk_EisaiMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_CounterpartyNameAxis=mrk_AstraZenecaMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |