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Earnings per share (Details) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) $ / shares shares | Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) $ / shares shares | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) $ / shares shares
Earnings per share [line items] |  |  |
Profit/loss attributable to shareholders of Novartis AG | $ | $ 8,072 | $ 11,732 | $ 12,611
Weighted average number of shares outstanding used in the basic earnings per share | shares | 2,277 | 2,291 | 2,319
Adjustment for vesting of restricted shares, restricted share units and dilutive shares from options | shares | 19 | 28 | 25
Weighted average number of shares in diluted earnings per share | shares | 2,296 | 2,319 | 2,344
Basic earnings per share, Continuing operations | $ 3.55 | $ 3.12 | $ 5.52
Basic earnings per share, Discontinued operations |  | 2.00 | (0.08)
Total basic earnings per share | 3.55 | 5.12 | 5.44
Diluted earnings per share, Continuing operations | 3.52 | 3.08 | 5.46
Diluted earnings per share, Discontinued operations |  | 1.98 | (0.08)
Total diluted earnings per share | $ 3.52 | $ 5.06 | $ 5.38
Options excluded from the calculation | 0 | 0 | 0
Continuing operations [member] |  |  |
Earnings per share [line items] |  |  |
Profit/loss attributable to shareholders of Novartis AG | $ | $ 8,072 | $ 7,142 | $ 12,797
Discontinued operations [member] |  |  |
Earnings per share [line items] |  |  |
Profit/loss attributable to shareholders of Novartis AG | $ |  | $ 4,590 | $ (186)

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- Definition The weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding plus the weighted average number of ordinary shares that would be issued on the conversion of all the dilutive potential ordinary shares into ordinary shares. [Refer: Ordinary shares [member]; Weighted average [member]] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 33 -IssueDate 2019-01-01 -Paragraph 70 -Subparagraph b -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=33&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_70_b&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2019-03-27 + Details
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- Definition The amount of profit (loss) attributable to ordinary equity holders of the parent entity (the numerator) divided by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period (the denominator). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 33 -IssueDate 2019-01-01 -Paragraph 66 -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=33&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_66&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2019-03-27 + Details
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