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4. Intangible Assets, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net [Abstract]        
Purchase Price $ 424.0us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross     $ 425.9us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
Accumulated Amortization (227.4)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization     (218.1)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
Net Carrying Amount 196.6us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet     207.8us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
Amortization [Abstract]        
Amortization expense 9.2us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets 10.9us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets    
Intangible Assets, Gross (Excluding Goodwill) 470.4us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill     472.3us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill
Customer Relationships [Member]        
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net [Abstract]        
Purchase Price 87.5us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
    89.4us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
Accumulated Amortization (43.6)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
    (43.0)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
Net Carrying Amount 43.9us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
    46.4us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
Know how [Member]        
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net [Abstract]        
Purchase Price 186.7us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= bio_KnowHowMember
    184.7us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= bio_KnowHowMember
Accumulated Amortization (109.1)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= bio_KnowHowMember
    (102.5)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= bio_KnowHowMember
Net Carrying Amount 77.6us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= bio_KnowHowMember
    82.2us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= bio_KnowHowMember
Developed Technology Rights [Member]        
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net [Abstract]        
Purchase Price 102.1us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_DevelopedTechnologyRightsMember
    103.9us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_DevelopedTechnologyRightsMember
Accumulated Amortization (44.3)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_DevelopedTechnologyRightsMember
    (42.8)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_DevelopedTechnologyRightsMember
Net Carrying Amount 57.8us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_DevelopedTechnologyRightsMember
    61.1us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_DevelopedTechnologyRightsMember
Licensing Agreements [Member]        
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net [Abstract]        
Purchase Price 39.4us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_LicensingAgreementsMember
    39.4us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_LicensingAgreementsMember
Accumulated Amortization (26.9)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_LicensingAgreementsMember
    (26.5)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_LicensingAgreementsMember
Net Carrying Amount 12.5us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_LicensingAgreementsMember
    12.9us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_LicensingAgreementsMember
Trade Names [Member]        
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net [Abstract]        
Purchase Price 3.5us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_TradeNamesMember
    3.6us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_TradeNamesMember
Accumulated Amortization (2.2)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_TradeNamesMember
    (2.1)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_TradeNamesMember
Net Carrying Amount 1.3us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_TradeNamesMember
    1.5us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_TradeNamesMember
Noncompete Agreements [Member]        
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net [Abstract]        
Purchase Price 4.8us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_NoncompeteAgreementsMember
    4.9us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_NoncompeteAgreementsMember
Accumulated Amortization (1.3)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_NoncompeteAgreementsMember
    (1.2)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_NoncompeteAgreementsMember
Net Carrying Amount 3.5us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_NoncompeteAgreementsMember
    3.7us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_NoncompeteAgreementsMember
Minimum [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]        
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net [Abstract]        
Average Remaining Life (years) 3 years   3 years  
Minimum [Member] | Know how [Member]        
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net [Abstract]        
Average Remaining Life (years) 1 year   1 year  
Minimum [Member] | Developed Technology Rights [Member]        
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net [Abstract]        
Average Remaining Life (years) 4 years   5 years  
Minimum [Member] | Licensing Agreements [Member]        
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net [Abstract]        
Average Remaining Life (years) 1 year   1 year  
Minimum [Member] | Trade Names [Member]        
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net [Abstract]        
Average Remaining Life (years) 1 year   1 year  
Minimum [Member] | Noncompete Agreements [Member]        
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net [Abstract]        
Average Remaining Life (years) 3 years   3 years  
Minimum [Member] | Other Intangible Assets [Member]        
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net [Abstract]        
Average Remaining Life (years) 0 years   0 years  
Maximum [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]        
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net [Abstract]        
Average Remaining Life (years) 10 years   10 years  
Maximum [Member] | Know how [Member]        
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net [Abstract]        
Average Remaining Life (years) 10 years   11 years  
Maximum [Member] | Developed Technology Rights [Member]        
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net [Abstract]        
Average Remaining Life (years) 12 years   12 years  
Maximum [Member] | Licensing Agreements [Member]        
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net [Abstract]        
Average Remaining Life (years) 11 years   11 years  
Maximum [Member] | Trade Names [Member]        
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net [Abstract]        
Average Remaining Life (years) 10 years   10 years  
Maximum [Member] | Noncompete Agreements [Member]        
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net [Abstract]        
Average Remaining Life (years) 8 years   8 years  
Maximum [Member] | Other Intangible Assets [Member]        
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Net [Abstract]        
Average Remaining Life (years) 0 years   0 years  
In Process Research and Development [Member]        
Amortization [Abstract]        
Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill) $ 46.4us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_InProcessResearchAndDevelopmentMember
    $ 46.4us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill
/ us-gaap_IndefiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_InProcessResearchAndDevelopmentMember