Summary of significant accounting policies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary of significant accounting policies	Summary of significant accounting policies Business Amgen Inc. (including its subsidiaries, referred to as “Amgen,” “the Company,” “we,” “our” or “us”) is a global biotechnology pioneer that discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative human therapeutics. We operate in one business segment: human therapeutics. Basis of presentation The financial information for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, is unaudited but includes all adjustments (consisting of only normal, recurring adjustments unless otherwise indicated), which Amgen considers necessary for a fair presentation of its condensed consolidated results of operations for those periods. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for the full fiscal year. The condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, and with our condensed consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto contained in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended March 31, 2017 and June 30, 2017. Principles of consolidation The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Amgen as well as its majority-owned subsidiaries. We do not have any significant interests in any variable interest entities. All material intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. Use of estimates The preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results may differ from those estimates. Property, plant and equipment, net Property, plant and equipment is recorded at historical cost, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization of $7.5 billion as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016. Recent accounting pronouncements In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued a new accounting standard that amends the guidance for the recognition of revenue from contracts with customers to transfer goods and services. The FASB has subsequently issued additional, clarifying standards to address issues arising from implementation of the new revenue recognition standard. The new revenue recognition standard and clarifying standards are effective for interim and annual periods beginning on January 1, 2018. The new standards are required to be adopted using either a full-retrospective or a modified-retrospective approach. We expect to adopt this standard by using the modified-retrospective approach beginning in 2018. We have completed our impact assessment and do not currently anticipate a material impact on Total revenues in our Consolidated Statements of Income. We are implementing changes to our accounting policies, business processes, internal controls and disclosures to support the new accounting, however these changes are not expected to be significant. In January 2016, the FASB issued a new accounting standard that amends the accounting and disclosures of financial instruments, including a provision requiring that equity investments (except for investments accounted for under the equity method of accounting) be measured at fair value, with changes in fair value recognized in current earnings. The new standard is effective for interim and annual periods beginning on January 1, 2018. With the exception of equity investments currently being accounted for at cost, adjustments are applied using a modified-retrospective approach by reflecting adjustments through a cumulative-effect impact on retained earnings as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. The new standard will be applied prospectively to investments currently accounted for at cost. The impact that this new standard will have on our consolidated financial statements will depend on the fair value of available-for-sale equity securities in our portfolio in the future. See Note 6, Available-for-sale investments, for the fair value of equity securities as of September 30, 2017. In February 2016, the FASB issued a new accounting standard that amends the guidance for the accounting and disclosure of leases. This new standard requires that lessees recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from leases on the balance sheet, including leases classified as operating leases under current GAAP, and disclose qualitative and quantitative information about leasing arrangements. The new standard requires a modified-retrospective approach to adoption and is effective for interim and annual periods beginning on January 1, 2019, but may be adopted earlier. We expect to adopt this standard beginning in 2019. We do not expect that this standard will have a material impact on our Consolidated Statements of Income, but we do expect that upon adoption, this standard will have a material impact on our assets and liabilities on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. The primary effect of adoption will be the requirement to record right-of-use assets and corresponding lease obligations for current operating leases. In addition, the standard will require that we update our systems, processes and controls we use to track, record and account for our lease portfolio. In June 2016, the FASB issued a new accounting standard that amends the guidance for measuring and recording credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost by replacing the “incurred loss” model with an “expected loss” model. Accordingly, these financial assets will be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. This new standard also requires that credit losses related to available-for-sale debt securities be recorded as an allowance through net income rather than reducing the carrying amount under the current, other-than-temporary-impairment model. The new standard is effective for interim and annual periods beginning on January 1, 2020, but may be adopted earlier, beginning on January 1, 2019. With certain exceptions, adjustments are to be applied using a modified-retrospective approach by reflecting adjustments through a cumulative-effect impact on retained earnings as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. We are currently evaluating the impact that this new standard will have on our consolidated financial statements. In October 2016, the FASB issued a new accounting standard that amends the income tax accounting guidance for intra-entity transfers of assets other than inventory. The new standard requires that entities recognize the income tax consequences of an intercompany transfer of an asset, other than inventory, in the period the transfer occurs. The current exception to defer the recognition of any tax impact on intercompany transfers of inventory until the inventory is sold to a third party remains unaffected. The new standard is effective for interim and annual periods beginning on January 1, 2018, but may be adopted earlier. We expect to adopt this standard beginning in 2018. The standard would be applied prospectively to any transaction occurring on or after the adoption date. We have completed our impact assessment and do not currently anticipate a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In January 2017, the FASB issued a new accounting standard that changes the definition of a business to assist entities with the evaluation of when a set of assets acquired or disposed of should be considered a business. The new standard requires that an entity evaluate whether substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or group of similar identifiable assets; if so, the set of assets would not be considered a business. The new standard also requires that a business include at least one substantive process and narrows the definition of outputs. The new standard will be applied prospectively and is effective for interim and annual periods beginning on January 1, 2018, but may be adopted earlier. We expect to adopt this standard beginning in 2018. Adoption of this new standard may result in more transactions being accounted for as asset acquisitions versus business combinations; however, the impact on our consolidated financial statements will depend on the facts and circumstances of future transactions.

Summary of significant accounting policies

Business

Amgen Inc. (including its subsidiaries, referred to as “Amgen,” “the Company,” “we,” “our” or “us”) is a global biotechnology pioneer that discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative human therapeutics. We operate in one business segment: human therapeutics.

Basis of presentation

The financial information for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, is unaudited but includes all adjustments (consisting of only normal, recurring adjustments unless otherwise indicated), which Amgen considers necessary for a fair presentation of its condensed consolidated results of operations for those periods. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for the full fiscal year.

The condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, and with our condensed consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto contained in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended March 31, 2017 and June 30, 2017.

Principles of consolidation

The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Amgen as well as its majority-owned subsidiaries. We do not have any significant interests in any variable interest entities. All material intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of estimates

The preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results may differ from those estimates.

Property, plant and equipment, net

Property, plant and equipment is recorded at historical cost, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization of $7.5 billion as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016.

Recent accounting pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued a new accounting standard that amends the guidance for the recognition of revenue from contracts with customers to transfer goods and services. The FASB has subsequently issued additional, clarifying standards to address issues arising from implementation of the new revenue recognition standard. The new revenue recognition standard and clarifying standards are effective for interim and annual periods beginning on January 1, 2018. The new standards are required to be adopted using either a full-retrospective or a modified-retrospective approach. We expect to adopt this standard by using the modified-retrospective approach beginning in 2018. We have completed our impact assessment and do not currently anticipate a material impact on Total revenues in our Consolidated Statements of Income. We are implementing changes to our accounting policies, business processes, internal controls and disclosures to support the new accounting, however these changes are not expected to be significant.

In January 2016, the FASB issued a new accounting standard that amends the accounting and disclosures of financial instruments, including a provision requiring that equity investments (except for investments accounted for under the equity method of accounting) be measured at fair value, with changes in fair value recognized in current earnings. The new standard is effective for interim and annual periods beginning on January 1, 2018. With the exception of equity investments currently being accounted for at cost, adjustments are applied using a modified-retrospective approach by reflecting adjustments through a cumulative-effect impact on retained earnings as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. The new standard will be applied prospectively to investments currently accounted for at cost. The impact that this new standard will have on our consolidated financial statements will depend on the fair value of available-for-sale equity securities in our portfolio in the future. See Note 6, Available-for-sale investments, for the fair value of equity securities as of September 30, 2017.

In February 2016, the FASB issued a new accounting standard that amends the guidance for the accounting and disclosure of leases. This new standard requires that lessees recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from leases on the balance sheet, including leases classified as operating leases under current GAAP, and disclose qualitative and quantitative information about leasing arrangements. The new standard requires a modified-retrospective approach to adoption and is effective for interim and annual periods beginning on January 1, 2019, but may be adopted earlier. We expect to adopt this standard beginning in 2019. We do not expect that this standard will have a material impact on our Consolidated Statements of Income, but we do expect that upon adoption, this standard will have a material impact on our assets and liabilities on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. The primary effect of adoption will be the requirement to record right-of-use assets and corresponding lease obligations for current operating leases. In addition, the standard will require that we update our systems, processes and controls we use to track, record and account for our lease portfolio.

In June 2016, the FASB issued a new accounting standard that amends the guidance for measuring and recording credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost by replacing the “incurred loss” model with an “expected loss” model. Accordingly, these financial assets will be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. This new standard also requires that credit losses related to available-for-sale debt securities be recorded as an allowance through net income rather than reducing the carrying amount under the current, other-than-temporary-impairment model. The new standard is effective for interim and annual periods beginning on January 1, 2020, but may be adopted earlier, beginning on January 1, 2019. With certain exceptions, adjustments are to be applied using a modified-retrospective approach by reflecting adjustments through a cumulative-effect impact on retained earnings as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. We are currently evaluating the impact that this new standard will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In October 2016, the FASB issued a new accounting standard that amends the income tax accounting guidance for intra-entity transfers of assets other than inventory. The new standard requires that entities recognize the income tax consequences of an intercompany transfer of an asset, other than inventory, in the period the transfer occurs. The current exception to defer the recognition of any tax impact on intercompany transfers of inventory until the inventory is sold to a third party remains unaffected. The new standard is effective for interim and annual periods beginning on January 1, 2018, but may be adopted earlier. We expect to adopt this standard beginning in 2018. The standard would be applied prospectively to any transaction occurring on or after the adoption date. We have completed our impact assessment and do not currently anticipate a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In January 2017, the FASB issued a new accounting standard that changes the definition of a business to assist entities with the evaluation of when a set of assets acquired or disposed of should be considered a business. The new standard requires that an entity evaluate whether substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or group of similar identifiable assets; if so, the set of assets would not be considered a business. The new standard also requires that a business include at least one substantive process and narrows the definition of outputs. The new standard will be applied prospectively and is effective for interim and annual periods beginning on January 1, 2018, but may be adopted earlier. We expect to adopt this standard beginning in 2018. Adoption of this new standard may result in more transactions being accounted for as asset acquisitions versus business combinations; however, the impact on our consolidated financial statements will depend on the facts and circumstances of future transactions.