XML 74 R50.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.20.4

Collaborative Arrangements - Schedule of Collaborative Arrangement Transactions (Details) - Collaborative Arrangement - USD ($) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018
AstraZeneca | Other current assets |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items] |  |  |
Receivables from counterparty | $ 215 | $ 128 |
AstraZeneca | Accrued and other current liabilities |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items] |  |  |
Payables to counterparty | 423 | 577 |
AstraZeneca | Total sales |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items] |  |  |
Total sales | 733 | 444 | $ 187
AstraZeneca | Total sales | Alliance revenue - Lynparza |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items] |  |  |
Total sales | 725 | 444 | 187
AstraZeneca | Total sales | Alliance revenue - Koselugo |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items] |  |  |
Total sales | 8 | 0 | 0
AstraZeneca | Cost of sales |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items] |  |  |
Expenses | 247 | 148 | 93
AstraZeneca | Selling, general and administrative |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items] |  |  |
Expenses | 160 | 138 | 48
AstraZeneca | Research and development |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items] |  |  |
Expenses | 133 | 168 | 152
Eisai | Other current assets |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items] |  |  |
Receivables from counterparty | 157 | 150 |
Eisai | Accrued and other current liabilities |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items] |  |  |
Payables to counterparty | 335 | 700 |
Eisai | Other Noncurrent Liabilities |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items] |  |  |
Payables to counterparty | 600 | 525 |
Eisai | Total sales |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items] |  |  |
Total sales | 580 | 404 | 149
Eisai | Cost of sales |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items] |  |  |
Expenses | 271 | 206 | 39
Eisai | Selling, general and administrative |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items] |  |  |
Expenses | 73 | 80 | 13
Eisai | Research and development |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items] |  |  |
Expenses | 185 | 189 | 1,489
Bayer AG | Other current assets |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items] |  |  |
Receivables from counterparty | 65 | 49 |
Bayer AG | Other Noncurrent Liabilities |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items] |  |  |
Payables to counterparty | 0 | 375 |
Bayer AG | Total sales |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items] |  |  |
Net sales of Adempas recorded by Merck | 220 | 215 | 190
Merck’s profit share of sales in marketing territories | 281 | 204 | 139
Total sales | 501 | 419 | 329
Bayer AG | Cost of sales |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items] |  |  |
Expenses | 115 | 113 | 216
Bayer AG | Selling, general and administrative |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items] |  |  |
Expenses | 61 | 41 | 35
Bayer AG | Research and development |  |  |
Collaborative Arrangement and Arrangement Other than Collaborative [Line Items] |  |  |
Expenses | $ 63 | $ 126 | $ 127

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_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_SalesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=mrk_AlliancerevenueLynparzaMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=mrk_AllianceRevenueKoselugoMember
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: | us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_OtherNoncurrentLiabilitiesMember
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: |