XML 66 R56.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.22.1

Contingencies (Details) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014 case	Mar. 31, 2022 USD ($) claim case	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2020 claim
Legal Defense Costs
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Legal defense costs reserve | $		$ 235	$ 230
Zetia antitrust litigation
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, pending claims | claim				35
Fosamax
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, pending claims		3,460
Fosamax | Femur Fracture Litigation | Federal
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, claims on appeal	515
Loss contingency, claims dismissed	650
Januvia
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, pending claims | claim		660
Januvia | Other State Court
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, pending claims | claim		6
Januvia | Cases Company Agreed To Toll Statute Of Limitations
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, pending claims | claim		50
Bridion | Patents
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, claims settled		4
Januvia and Janumet | Patents
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, claims settled		21

X

- Definition

Loss Contingency, Claims on Appeal, Number

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mrk_LossContingencyClaimsonAppealNumber
Namespace Prefix:	mrk_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Aggregate carrying amount of the estimated litigation liability for known or estimated probable loss from litigation, which may include attorneys' fees and other litigation costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121557415&loc=d3e14326-108349

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.25)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationReserve
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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_LossContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Number of claims dismissed.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyClaimsDismissedNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Number of claims settled.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyClaimsSettledNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Number of pending claims pertaining to a loss contingency.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121557415&loc=d3e14435-108349

+ Details

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

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesTypeAxis=mrk_LegalDefenseCostsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=mrk_ZetiaantitrustlitigationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=mrk_FosamaxMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=mrk_FemurFractureLitigationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=mrk_FederalMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=mrk_JanuviaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=mrk_OtherStateCourtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=mrk_CasesCompanyAgreedToTollStatuteOfLimitationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=mrk_BridionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=us-gaap_PatentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=mrk_JanuviaAndJanumetMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: