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Intangible Assets and Goodwill (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2015 | Sep. 30, 2014 | Sep. 30, 2015 | Sep. 30, 2014
Goodwill [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Income tax benefit (expense) | $ 330,093 | $ 274,774 | $ 904,475 | $ 721,709
Increase to goodwill |  |  | 649,400 |
Summary of roll forward of the changes in goodwill |  |  |  |
Goodwill, beginning of period |  |  | 1,760,249 |
Other |  |  | (700) |
Goodwill, end of period | $ 2,408,854 |  | 2,408,854 |
TECFIDERA | Fumapharm AG |  |  |  |
Goodwill [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Income tax benefit (expense) |  |  | 78,900 |
Increase to goodwill |  |  | $ 600,000 |

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- Definition Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266 + Details
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- Definition Amount of increase in asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized resulting from a business combination. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267 + Details
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- Definition Amount of other (increase) decrease of an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (g) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267 + Details
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