Nature of Operations	12 Months Ended
Nature of Operations	Dec. 31, 2020
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Nature of Operations	Nature of Operations Merck & Co., Inc. (Merck or the Company) is a global health care company that delivers innovative health solutions through its prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies and animal health products. The Company’s operations are principally managed on a products basis and include two operating segments, which are the Pharmaceutical and Animal Health segments, both of which are reportable segments. The Pharmaceutical segment includes human health pharmaceutical and vaccine products. Human health pharmaceutical products consist of therapeutic and preventive agents, generally sold by prescription, for the treatment of human disorders. The Company sells these human health pharmaceutical products primarily to drug wholesalers and retailers, hospitals, government agencies and managed health care providers such as health maintenance organizations, pharmacy benefit managers and other institutions. Human health vaccine products consist of preventive pediatric, adolescent and adult vaccines, primarily administered at physician offices. The Company sells these human health vaccines primarily to physicians, wholesalers, physician distributors and government entities. The Animal Health segment discovers, develops, manufactures and markets a wide range of veterinary pharmaceutical and vaccine products, as well as health management solutions and services, for the prevention, treatment and control of disease in all major livestock and companion animal species. The Company also offers an extensive suite of digitally connected identification, traceability and monitoring products. The Company sells its products to veterinarians, distributors and animal producers. The Company previously had a Healthcare Services segment that provided services and solutions focused on engagement, health analytics and clinical services to improve the value of care delivered to patients. The Company divested the remaining businesses in this segment in the first quarter of 2020. The Company previously had an Alliances segment that primarily included activity from the Company’s relationship with AstraZeneca LP related to sales of Nexium and Prilosec, which concluded in 2018. Planned Spin-Off of Women’s Health, Biosimilars and Established Brands into a New Company In February 2020, Merck announced its intention to spin-off products from its women’s health, biosimilars and established brands businesses into a new, independent, publicly traded company named Organon & Co. (Organon) through a distribution of Organon’s publicly traded stock to Company shareholders. The distribution is expected to qualify as tax-free to the Company and its shareholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The established brands included in the transaction consist of dermatology, non-opioid pain management, respiratory, and select cardiovascular products including Zetia and Vytorin, as well as the rest of Merck’s diversified brands franchise. Merck’s existing research pipeline programs will continue to be owned and developed within Merck as planned. Organon will have development capabilities initially focused on late-stage development and life-cycle management and is expected over time to develop research capabilities in selected therapeutic areas. The spin-off is expected to be completed late in the second quarter of 2021, subject to market and certain other conditions. Subsequent to the spin-off, the historical results of the women’s health, biosimilars and established brands businesses will be reflected as discontinued operations in the Company’s consolidated financial statements.