XML 57 R46.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.19.1

Financial Instruments - Summary of Interest Rate Swaps Held (Details)	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($) interest_rate_swap	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Derivative [Line Items]
Par Value of Debt	$ 5,000,000,000
Number of Interest Rate Swaps Held (in interest rate swaps) | interest_rate_swap	19
Total Swap Notional Amount	$ 35,343,000,000	$ 29,742,000,000
1.85% notes due 2020 | Interest rate swap contracts
Derivative [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as percent)	1.85%
Par Value of Debt	$ 1,250,000,000
Number of Interest Rate Swaps Held (in interest rate swaps) | interest_rate_swap	5
Total Swap Notional Amount	$ 1,250,000,000
3.875% notes due 2021 | Interest rate swap contracts
Derivative [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as percent)	3.875%
Par Value of Debt	$ 1,150,000,000
Number of Interest Rate Swaps Held (in interest rate swaps) | interest_rate_swap	5
Total Swap Notional Amount	$ 1,150,000,000
2.40% notes due 2022 | Interest rate swap contracts
Derivative [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as percent)	2.40%
Par Value of Debt	$ 1,000,000,000
Number of Interest Rate Swaps Held (in interest rate swaps) | interest_rate_swap	4
Total Swap Notional Amount	$ 1,000,000,000
2.35% notes due 2022 | Interest rate swap contracts
Derivative [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as percent)	2.35%
Par Value of Debt	$ 1,250,000,000
Number of Interest Rate Swaps Held (in interest rate swaps) | interest_rate_swap	5
Total Swap Notional Amount	$ 1,250,000,000

X

- Definition

Aggregate notional amount specified by the derivative(s). Expressed as an absolute value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Article 12
-Section 13
-Sentence Column B

+ Details

Name:	invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
Namespace Prefix:	invest_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775744&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775985&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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_DerivativeLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Number of interest rate derivative instruments held by the entity at the reporting date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5579245-113959

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5580258-113959

+ Details

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

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=mrk_A1.85NotesDue2020Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=mrk_A3.875NotesDue2021Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=mrk_A2.40NotesDue2022Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=mrk_A2.35NotesDue2022Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: