XML 77 R53.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.10.0.1

Collaborative Arrangements - Schedule of Collaborative Arrangement Transactions (Details) - Collaborative Arrangement - USD ($) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016
AstraZeneca | Other current assets |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |
Receivables from counterparty | $ 52 | $ 12 |
AstraZeneca | Accrued and other current liabilities |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |
Payables to counterparty | 405 | 543 |
AstraZeneca | Other noncurrent liabilities |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |
Payables to counterparty | 250 | 100 |
AstraZeneca | Total sales |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |
Total sales | 187 | 20 |
AstraZeneca | Cost of sales |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |
Expenses | 93 | 4 |
AstraZeneca | Selling, general and administrative |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |
Expenses | 48 | 1 |
AstraZeneca | Research and development |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |
Expenses | 152 | 2,419 |
Eisai | Other current assets |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |
Receivables from counterparty | 71 |  |
Eisai | Accrued and other current liabilities |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |
Payables to counterparty | 375 |  |
Eisai | Other noncurrent liabilities |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |
Payables to counterparty | 543 |  |
Eisai | Total sales |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |
Total sales | 149 |  |
Eisai | Cost of sales |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |
Expenses | 39 |  |
Eisai | Selling, general and administrative |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |
Expenses | 13 |  |
Eisai | Research and development |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |
Expenses | 1,489 |  |
Bayer AG | Other current assets |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |
Receivables from counterparty | 32 | 33 |
Bayer AG | Accrued and other current liabilities |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |
Payables to counterparty | 0 | 350 |
Bayer AG | Other noncurrent liabilities |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |
Payables to counterparty | 375 | 0 |
Bayer AG | Total sales |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |
Net product sales recorded by Merck | 190 | 149 | $ 88
Merck’s profit share of sales in marketing territories | 139 | 151 | 81
Total sales | 329 | 300 | 169
Bayer AG | Cost of sales |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |
Expenses | 216 | 99 | 133
Bayer AG | Selling, general and administrative |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |
Expenses | 35 | 27 | 26
Bayer AG | Research and development |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangements and Non-collaborative Arrangement Transactions [Line Items] |  |  |
Expenses | $ 127 | $ 101 | $ 82

X
- Definition Collaborative Arrangement, Expenses + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mrk_CollaborativeArrangementExpenses
Namespace Prefix: | mrk_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Collaborative Arrangement, Payable + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mrk_CollaborativeArrangementPayable
Namespace Prefix: | mrk_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Collaborative Arrangement, Profit Sharing + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mrk_CollaborativeArrangementProfitSharing
Namespace Prefix: | mrk_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Collaborative Arrangement, Receivable + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mrk_CollaborativeArrangementReceivable
Namespace Prefix: | mrk_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Collaborative Arrangement, Revenues, Net of Commercialization Costs + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mrk_CollaborativeArrangementRevenuesNetofCommercializationCosts
Namespace Prefix: | mrk_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Collaborative Arrangement, Sales, Net + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mrk_CollaborativeArrangementSalesNet
Namespace Prefix: | mrk_
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_CollaborativeArrangementsAndNoncollaborativeArrangementTransactionsLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis=us-gaap_CollaborativeArrangementMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_OtherCurrentAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_AccountsPayableAndAccruedLiabilitiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_SalesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_CostOfSalesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpensesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpenseMember
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_BayerAGMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |